Kid Flash's Not so Easy Path
by DiamondBreak
Summary: Kid Flash tries to deal with his past and understand the new future written before him. He never thought about being normal. No one told him his life would continue to get complicated after saving his time 'twice'. As he tries to fulfill the legacy of Kid Flash he realizes there are other legacies expected of him, and they are not crash at all. And then there are the Titans.
1. Magic in the Air

Kid Flash's Not So Easy Path

APRIL 2050

That one morning he knew things were wrong. Usually his dad was already back and preparing him something to eat. Being a speedster in their time was very difficult. There was very little food to go about and with their incredibly fast metabolism they were no strangers to the feeling of starvation. He was starting to feel weak. He moved as little as possible. He ate the few crumbs around their little room hidden at the edge of what used to be an apartment complex in Central City.

"Don?" someone called at their door after a short knock.

"Mr. Grayson?" he called opening the door without a pause.

"Bart!" the old man answered with his good eye open wide. The kid knew better than to open the door without making sure who was on the other side "where is Don?" but before the kid could respond he saw how frail he looked, "come here" he said taking off his pack and taking out some of the provisions he had brought, "don't eat them _too_ fast, or you will make yourself sick"

Bart ate as the man walked to the window and watched outside with an intensity Bart hadn't seen before.

"The Reach is combing through this area" he said before Bart felt sick, "I think he went to confront them"

"Dad wouldn't do something so crazy" Bart said as he swallowed the remains of the food.

"I am well aware of your father's opinion in the whole matter Bartholomew" he said in a stern voice that had the boy staring, "sorry kid… is just that you know about that special connection you dad and Dawn have…"

"They are faster together," he said with a nod.

"And your father would never leave his sister alone, though I hope he decided to make an exception"

His aunt Dawn was part of the resistance where his father wanted nothing to do with it. Still, they were siblings, twins at that. All their lives they had been looking after each other.

"Mr. Grayson," the young boy started, "he is not coming back, isn't he?"

"Bart-" the old man started to say

"He isn't" the boy declared.

"He might," the old man tried to offer some hope, "we will leave him a letter so he knows where to find you"

The boy nodded before rushing to pack only the essentials, and then writing the letter.

"I am ready Mr. Grayson," Bart said as the old man turned away from the window.

"You know, I think you might be as fast as your grandfather," the old man offered a smile before leading the boy outside, "take it slow with me kid, I am not as fast as I used to"

And them along with other survivors walked out of the dilapidated city before the Reach could capture them. Bart made sure to stay close to the old man as they walked in the dessert that most world had become. They reached a cave from which the old man brought out a motorcycle. He was actually a little excited to get on it as they were very rare. They made it to the crater that used to be Gotham before entering the woods and then what used to be a mansion. Bart imagined it had once been a magnificent place, but now the remains of the shattered walls screamed of a terrible event.

They went down a long set of stairs into an underground cave. The place looked like a mess with inventions thrown here and there, but it also felt safe.

"Go rest kid" the old man said as he collapsed on a chair by what was once a top of the art computer.

Bart didn't waste any time and went to lie down on a bed nearby.

As he fell asleep he heard someone enter the little sanctuary.

"Where is Don?"

"I am sorry Richard… he…"

He wanted to wake up then, but his body refused to listen.

"What I am going to tell him?" it was his aunt Dawn.

"That he died a hero,"

And then he was able to wake up.

SEPTEMBER 2017

He was lying in the couch of his grandparent's house. He sat up which made the blanket at top of him slip off. When had he fallen asleep? They had all being watching a movie and that was the last thing he remembered.

"Are you okay Bart?" Barry Allen, his grandfather asked from the couch across from him. In his arms he held a little bundle.

"Yeah," he said picking the blanket and then looking at the clock in the living room.

"I called Jay, he knows you are staying" he said before seeing the boy relax, though he still looked pale "are you sure-"

"Is that…" he said trying to pick.

"Dawn," Barry said before Bart noticed at least three bottles of formula lying empty on the couch.

"She is so little," but where there should have been tenderness, Barry could only hear sadness.

"Isn't she?" she was not even a year old, "Don is bigger than her though"

"He was very tall," Bart said before looking away, he had looked like a giant that no one would ever be able to take down to him, "sorry," he said standing, "I think I should go"

"Bartholomew," before he could reach the door Barry was in front of it, "they are going to be fine, we all are"

"I am not worried" he said throwing his smug smile, "is just a bit weird for me" to experience someone's death before their birth was weird indeed.

"Then stay, please. There is something we need to talk about" Barry said before Bart went to sit again, "thank you for everything you have done. I wouldn't even had known I was going to be a father, any less hold my children if it wasn't for you"

"What's family for?" Bart said trying to not recall his memories.

But then Barry's expression became somber as he struggled with his next words, "but I am also worried about your involvement in their lives, like you said, it is a little weird"

"I understand," he said knowing what his grandfather was referring to "we can tell them I am a distant cousin or something"

"That wouldn't bother you?" that was what he was planning but didn't think Bart would be so willing to disguise his ties to them after what he went through.

"Of course not," he laughed, "growing up knowing you had a son in an apocalyptic future that then came back to the past seems a bit too much for a little kid to handle. You can tell them the truth when they are old enough if you like"

"Don was a great father, wasn't he?"

"The best" and wished then he could say more but knew from a long lecture from Kaldur that he was not to reveal anything else from the future. He wanted to tell his grandfather; Don was almost a carbon copy of him but for exception of his blue eyes which were like his mothers. He wanted to tell him Aunt Dawn was considered to be one of the most beautiful women in their time though she felt conflicted by it since she had a deep scar on one side of her face.

Eventually Barry went back to sleep. As Bart lay on the couch again he wondered how different they would be now that they had their father to guide them. He hoped things were indeed a lot different.

APRIL 2050

"I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!" his throat hurt from screaming but he found he couldn't stop. He had never felt anger like he did then.

"Bart, plea-" Dawn tried to get hold of him, but he was on the other end of the room a moment later.

"NO! HE WOULD STILL BE ALIVE IF YOU WEREN'T SO STUPID! WHY DID YOU DRAG HIM DOWN THERE!" his father knew they didn't stand a chance against The Reach. He just wanted to make sure they could survive.

"I-" and Bart hated her even more because she looked guilty then. She knew it was true.

"Is all your fault!" he shouted wishing it was not the truth.

"Bart wait!" she tried to reach him again as he went for the stairs.

And then she was after him. He ran as fast as he could for the first time in his life. He had gone beyond the Gotham crater before he knew it and across the dark waters. She was not far behind so he tried to go even faster.

"Bart! You have to stop!" she shouted behind him already sounding exhausted, they had reached the other side of the sea.

"GO AWAY!" he shouted looking back, which was a big mistake to make. He tripped with something and his young body went off flying. He closed his eyes tightly knowing that what would follow would hurt a lot. He hit the earth once (was that his that cracked?), bounced and then something soft caught him.

He heard his aunt gasp as if someone had kicked the air out of her lungs. And then everything stopped. He opened his eyes. She was holding him tightly and gasping for air.

"I am so sorry Bart," she said as tears streamed down her face, "I am sorry" and she held him tighter and cried. He couldn't help a sob that escaped his throat, and soon they were both crying. He didn't hate her but he wished his father was still alive.

OCTOBER 2016

"I am so ready for this!" Bart said barely able to keep himself seated.

"Again, why did you bring that?" the blond man had come to know as John Constantine pointed at him with an accusatory finger, "he has no magic abilities whatsoever"

Bart thought the guy could be considered crash with the long coat and cocky grin, but the moment he opened his mouth he ruined the illusion.

"Madame Xanadu asked to bring someone who was none magic and I couldn't think of someone better than Kid-Flash" Zatanna gave Bart a smile which he returned with a small blush.

"Then you need to do a lot more thinking love" Constantine said before his chair _magically_ disappeared underneath him, "you little-"

"Look, if Nick wasn't so busy I would have him come instead of you" Zatanna said doing her best not to roll her eyes as he sat next to her on the couch.

"Oh please, Necro is too busy with his head up his-"

"Hey, in a more cheerful note Conner is getting better with his powers. Kaldur said he will try to get him back" in a moment the kid was now sitting between them, almost pushing Constantine off the couch.

"That's wonderful! With this mess we could use all the extra hands we can get" she was thankful to get away from the topic of her boyfriend.

"Hero complex gits" Constantine muttered as someone entered the private room.

"Yet you remain," a man with red mid length hair entered the room "well, if is little Zatanna. Not so little anymore"

"Shade" she said with a smile, "is nice to see you again, though I wish it was under different circumstances"

"Isn't it always?" he sat across from Bart.

Though the guy seemed friendly enough, Bart got a bad vibe from him.

"Who else are we waiting for?" Shade asked looking curiously at the brightly colored hero.

"Mindwarp" Zatanna said with a sigh.

"Won't come, that selfish bastard only thinks of himself" Constantine said crossing his arms across his chest.

"and Deadman," Zatanna said with a frown.

"Self-righteous jerk" chipped Contantine before she rolled her eyes at him.

"I thought Doctor Fate would be here" Shade asked and Bart felt like punching the jerk.

"He is trying to break through her barrier at this moment. We will go in and strike" Zatanna kept her composure and said.

"Deadman will be here in a moment"

Bart jumped as a new voice sounded across the room. A woman appeared in the middle of the room. Her eyes fixed on Bart. She stared at him with a frown before turning to the door. A moment later a young blond woman entered the room.

"Is that June Moone!" Constantine stood up, "this is so wrong. Boston what are you doing possessing that witch! Why would you bring her here?"

Bart gave a questioning look at Zatanna before she answered, "Deadman can posses just about anyone" and then she turned to Constantine, "you shut your trap and let him explain"

"June found me, she was free of Enchantress but now the witch is going mad" the blond woman said leaning on the couch.

"Of course she is, you took her host away from her" Bart wondered if John could get any more upset.

"And does June deserve to be her prisoner? Like this I can prevent Enchantress from taking hold of her again until she has been dealt with"

"Dammit, don't you bloody understand? She is a natural force of magic. Just like with Doctor Fate, there will always be someone"

"Hey lady, can we get this start it before I get traumatized for life" Bart said raising his hand. He didn't care the rest of the room was looking at him as if he had already lost his mind. He was starting to understand some of the Leaguer's reluctance to deal with magic.

"Enchantress is starting to act out," the woman better known as Madame Xanadu started to speak, "children had to be restrained from hurting their parents and themselves, riots are being started for the most absurd reasons, and a power plant has gained a consciousness and is threatening to destroy itself and kill the workers inside; all because Enchantress' madness is spreading"

Bart listened to their plan, though he didn't know much about magic by looking at their expressions he could tell it would not be easy. He wondered if he should have accepted so easily Zatanna's invitation to this mission. Of course he could get away fast if needed, but he didn't like the idea of not being able to help the others if things did get too difficult.

"Fine, but if it comes to worse, which it always does, you are to give her back Boston"

Deadman glared at the magician but didn't say no.

"Alright then," said Shade standing before his jacket started to glow, "let's get started" and they were all wrapped in a bright light with odd shaped figures around them. Bart guessed they were runes. The feeling was very similar to that of floating. No one spoke as they floated in white vastness. Only Zatanna gave him a reassuring smile, the rest remained grim as if going to a funeral.


	2. Memoirs

Kid Flash's Not so Easy Path 2

OCTOBER 2017

They landed in the middle of grey and rainy forest. Immediately he started shivering but he wasn't sure if it was because of the cold. Even though he knew little to nothing about magic he could sense there was something very wrong in that place. A few feet away he spotted Dr. Fate floating and muttering what he imagined was some incantation. Madame Xanadu approached him and seemed they were able to communicate without words.

He knew it was stupid that he kept worrying about Zatanna any time Dr. Fate was near. She was a lot stronger, but still he couldn't help glancing her way.

"Be ready, the barrier will be open in a moment" Madame Xanadu said though there was very little for them to prepare.

"Take this" Dr. Fate said handing Bart a pair of silver manacles.

"The kid?" Constantine questioned before thinking about it, "actually you better than me"

"Please keep all limbs inside the bubble" Shade said before Dr. Fate opened a barrier Bart could not see before. The air rippled before opening into an oval entrance darker than the night. They walked in. It felt as if someone pulled the ground from under their feet. He stumbled in dizziness and closed his eyes tightly doing his best not to throw up. When he opened his eyes he could only see teeth, teeth, and more flying teeth; so many and threatening to tear them into little bloody pieces.

As Bart regained more of his bearings he could see beyond the storm of flying crazy witch teeth. It seemed like there was a barren land as dry as the Sahara desert but with a lot less sunshine. It actually made the forest from before like a sunny day.

"There" Zatanna said before Bart spotted (and he wondered how he could have missed it) a dark, and threatening mansion half a mile away from them.

"Walk and don't fall behind" he turned to see Constantine lit a cigar before they walked towards the mansion. Bart never thought he would fall behind anyone but he stopped a few times to stare as specters tried to approach them only to be kept away by Shade's barrier. Some his companions would flinch as a few got too close. He doubted it was because of their ghoulish appearance. They were calling their names and other things he didn't think he wanted to understand

"Im…poster…" and then he heard a familiar voice.

Before he could turn to look at the source of the voice Zatanna took hold of his arm and pulled him ahead of the group.

"She is trying to dig into our memories and twist them to hurt us. If you see anyone you recognize don't believe what you hear or see" she glanced back at him to make sure he understood. He nodded and kept his eyes set on the mansion.

"Imposter…" he didn't need to turn to know whom the Enchantress had summoned from his memories. As they walked he tried to think of happier times.

JANUARY 2051

He didn't get the meaning of birthdays. He was now eight years old and his aunt Dawn was making quite a deal out of it. She had left early on the day saying he was going to bring him something back. At that time he was living with Richard Grayson in what used to be the Batcave. The old man disagreed with him as they assembled some weapons for the resistance.

"When I was young, birthdays were to celebrate you were older and but now it means you survived another year, and I believed that is important to remember"

"But what about when I am as old as you?" he asked the old man, "you are always complaining you are too old for all of these" he motioned to the weapons they were making for the resistant. He still didn't think the resistance could do much but he hoped the weapons could protect them if they needed to get away.

"I am too old for this, but you are never too old for living. You think I ever imagined I would get to meet the Flash's grandkid" he flashed the kid a smile with the promise of telling him another story about his grandfather later on the day.

He heard the familiar sound of someone with the gift for speed arriving.

"Here you go," he turned to see a treat as rare as a kitten with a ball yarn in their time.

"Is a cupcake, with frosting" his aunt Dawn said with a smile, "baked it myself"

Bart stared at it in wonder before taking it and giving it a small bite. He stared at it with wide eyes before sitting down and eating it slowly, when the taste almost faded from his mouth he would take another bit and relish on it.

"That's the slowest I have ever seen him eat" Richard said watching him with a smile.

"Even we know when to slow down and just enjoy the small things in life" Dawn said with a smile before helping with the weapons. They still had a battle to fight.

Bart watched them until there was no cupcake left. His life left a lot to be desired but people who cared for him was not something he was missing on.

"Where in the world did you find the ingredient to make a cupcake, and frosting of all things?"

"Some in Kentuchi, others in Singapore" she said as she assembled the pieces ten times faster than Richard without missing a beat as she spoke, "I am the best scavenger around, it was no biggie"

But Bart knew this to be untrue. People didn't give you those type of ingredients for nothing. His aunt must have done a lot of trading to get them. By the time they were done with the weapons Dawn found a small treat for herself. It wasn't as great as a cupcake, but canned spam was also nice.

OCTOBER 2017

"Is your fault…" he didn't turn around but he wanted to. Not because he felt he owed him something but to tell him he was going to honor his title. But he knew it meant nothing for that was not Wally, but a shadow of a small fear. He knew Wally had been better, much better than that bitter shadow.

"Remember not to leave the bubble, especially you kid" Constantine said throwing the remains of his cigar to the floor and giving him a hard look.

"And I thought you didn't like me" he said holding tighter to the manacles.

"I am throwing him off a building after this," he told Zatanna but this time she didn't even roll her eyes or smile at him. She stared at the main door to the mansion with something Bart couldn't remember ever seeing her show before. She was actually afraid.

"_**Nepo**_" she said as calm as she could before the door opened.

"God, no" Shade said as a woman stood at the entrance.

"She is not real," Constantine said to their companion before glaring at the woman, "go away, she was a good woman. She doesn't deserve to have the memory of her loved ones bastardized"

The woman smiled showing the same kind of teeth that had been trying to rip them apart before, "this is nothing," it was a cracked and dry voice, "but you don't have to know what I am capable of if you give me June Moone back" and she glared at June Moone, who was possessed by Deadman to protect her from being possessed again. They (Deadman and June) didn't say anything but returned the glare.

"Believe me, I wouldn't mind but it is kind of unfair you take over someone's entire life" Constantine said as relaxed as if he was talking to a friend.

"She is mine" the woman growled before her face melted into a twisted and dry face, "and all of you will be worst than dead" and then she faded.

"No problem for you there, right Boston?" Constantine joked before they went inside.

"Bite me" Deadman said.

What was supposed to be a mansion entrance became a small department.

"Well, isn't she just the biggest bitch in the whole world" Constantine said before an old stumbling old man came into the room.

"Is your entire bloody fault you she is dead! I will box your ears until you are as deaf as the dead!" the old man stumbled drunkenly towards them. Bart couldn't help noticing the resemblance between Constantine and the old man.

"Does this mean you are finally dead you bladdering old arse?" but their companion was not moved at all by the apparition, "let's get moving before she brings my dear twin into this. He is just so freakin' annoying"

"If he is anything like his brother, I don't doubt it" Zatanna said as they passed the shouting old man.

Bart was amazed how unfazed he seemed. He wondered how he could remain so composed even at the idea of his father being dead. Then again the things the man was shouted seemed to make him believe Constantine did not have a happy childhood at all. They entered another room, a living room where a couple was fighting and not just with words.

"Bitch is too kind for her," Deadman said through June Moone.

"Did any of us not have a crappy childhood?" Constantine said as they kept walking, "what about you kid?"

"It was fine under the circumstances" he said as they entered another room. It was an old apartment abandoned with a view towards wastelands.

"Well, whose torture are we on now?" Constantine asked as they could see no one this time.

"Mine," Bart said recognizing the place immediately, "I used to live here with my father"

Then the door slammed open and his father, just as he remembered him, came in "hurry son! They are coming!" he reached for him but was stopped by the bubble.

"You are dead," he said to the man who gave him a hurt look.

"Maybe I was still alive, if you had gone to search for me…"

"You would have never forgiven me if I did something like that" Bart said, "Besides, I should be the one upset. You told me never to get involved with the resistance and yet you went to fight the Reach and left me here with almost nothing to survive"

"You little ungrateful-"

"My father was a great man that tried to hide it to protect me, you are not him" he said before the figure and their surroundings rippled and transformed into the darkest place of his memories. It was a battle field covered by bodies.

"Help me…" his aunt Dawn was on the ground bleeding as she tried to crawl away from the approaching Reach soldiers, "Bart… please" she was reaching for him.

"Let's get moving," he said before they started walking bypass her.

"BART!" she screamed "HELP ME!"

"Kid?"

"She never begged for help," he said calmly, "she was the strongest person I ever knew"

NOVEMBER 2052

"Try those" his aunt Dawn had brought him to what they used to call a mall and were searching for new clothes for him among the crumbling shops.

"Can I try that one?" he said looking at a shirt she was looking at. It was bright red.

"Too bright, the Reach will see you from miles away" she said before turning the shirt so he could see the front. There was a yellow thunder on the front.

"Did you know your granddad was really famous?"

"Mr. Grayson told me" he said taking the shirt and looking at the logo.

They were both in silence for a long time. They were supposed to be part of the Flash's legacy, real heroes like he was, but at that time they were nothing but survivors.

"We have to hurry, there is a patrol do around here in a few minutes" she said before he hurried to pick his new clothes and then left.

"Where are we going to next?" he had been travelling around the world with his aunt for the past few months. She had taken him to every major resistance base and after that had taken him to explore the world. He still didn't believe they could defeat the Reach, not when they had their armored scarab warriors like the Blue Beetle. Still, if he could help save those who could not defend themselves he would help.

"Actually we are going to stay for a while at the base in Starling City" she said as they turned to that direction, "you are going to get some hand on hand combat training"

"Mr. Grayson already taught me that," he said proudly.

"He thought you the basics," she laughed, "you still have a lot to learn"

In Starling City he was hushed away while she went to talk to the leader of the base; Roy Harper once known as Red Arrow. In those days it was actually dangerous to go by names like that. He wasn't sure what the whole deal was with Harper, but he got the feeling he had it really bad for the Reach, more than most people.

Even though he was a strict leader he also knew how to care for his people. They were lucky to arrive that night for there was a feast. Not a feast as great as the ones of the fast, but everyone left the table satisfied. As he settled on the bunk right above his aunt he wondered if he could get used to this new part of his life.

When he and others woke up the next day very late (they suspected something had been on the food) they found their strongest members gone, his aunt among them. He didn't waste any time and broke into Harper's strategy room and found what they had planned. He hurried to the place where they were going, but found every single entrance blocked by pure concrete. According to a letter they had found in Harper's room, one of them had the materials to free them, but only after a certain time passed.

He searched from top to bottom but could not find the tools. He had to stop them. It was suicidal. Hours later after searching the base for the hundredth time he faced one of the entrances and started punching the wall as fast as he could. He stopped a few minutes later and looked at his bleeding fists. He started punching again harder and the concrete started to give away.


	3. Sorrowful Dawn

Kid Flash's Not so Easy Path 3

OCTOBER 2017

He watched as Zatanna shed a small tear.

"_**Yawa og**_" she said to the apparitions of her mother and father who tried to reach for her. The two frowned and then faded away without fuzz.

"That was unfair" Constantine said looking at the warm and cozy living room.

"Shut up" Bart elbowed him before they started moving again.

"You are one twisted little boy, aren't you? After all you probably went through you still smile as if you had grown in the happiest of homes" Bart could feel his eyes on his back, "what exactly was that place anyways?"

"It doesn't matter anymore" he said with a small smile, "they will be fine now"

Constantine opened his mouth ask him what he meant by that but then the Enchantress appeared before them within a plain wooden room.

"Are you so sure?" she said with her raspy dry voice, "are you so sure you changed the future? Or maybe you just created another stream… but it doesn't mean the first one is gone"

"What are you talking about?"

"I understand now," the woman laughed, "you are not from this time, or this stream. You come from a future that you tried to change but still exist, only now side to side with one where death and suffering are not as constant"

"You are lying" he said through greeted teeth.

"Run Bart! Run!" the Enchantress used his aunt's voice and screamed, "RUN!" and then she laughed. Her bent hooded figure straightened as if becoming stronger, "you failed them Bartholomew Allen, you are no hero; you are just a boy that can't stop running"

"Bart, don't listen to her" Zatanna was holding his hand but he pulled it away.

He gave a step forwards, but remained within the bubble of magic.

"You know is true," the witch sang, "you have known from the start. You just blinded yourself to hope and believed that by coming back you would change the future"

"Fascinating," and then they realized Constantine was no longer with them but behind the witch, "Madame Xanadu was right on bringing someone without magic, but still to think he is from the future" and then hot coal tendrils appeared and wrapped tightly around the Enchantress.

"How!" she howled trying to break free.

"Let's just say you I am going to sleep for a few days after this" he said as sweat ran down his face, then he glared at Bart "what are you waiting for!"

He was in front of her before he realized it and trapped her hand on the silver monocles Dr. Fate had given him. The hot coals disappeared and she collapsed to the ground. The room around them changed into a small wooden cabin.

"You know is true," she said looking up at him with her wild eyes, "they are dead; all of them, and you just ran away"

NOVEMBER 2052

When he finally made it through the concrete wall he ran as fast as he could, but even as the grandson of the Flash he did not make it in time. They had attacked one of the main camps from the Reach. They didn't even make it to the walls. Their bodies and remains were spread over a large field two miles away from it.

"No, no, no" he searched for her as he watched the Reach troops retreat to their base.

"Ba…Bart" he heard her and was by her side a moment later, "sorry… I lied to you"

"I am going to get you to the base," he said picking her upper body up but realized she was too light.

"Don't look," she said in a pained whisper.

But he looked. One of her legs was gone from the knee down and the other from the tie, "why?" but of course there was no answer. It was just what the Reach did with meta-humans.

"Halt you meat bags!" he heard a booming voice and saw the one and only Blue Beetle flying their way.

"Go Bart, run" she said trying to free herself from his hold, "forget about me. I won't make it but you have to"

"No," he shook his head.

"You are such a sweet boy," she said as blood started to run from her lips, the damage was worse than just her legs, "but you really need to go!" and she found the strength to free herself from his grip. He was about to pull her again but found a high energy riffle pointed at him, "I will kill you before I let them take you"

He tried to step towards her and then she shot the riffle towards the sky

"GO!" she shouted before pointing at him again, her hand shook, "please"

"You aren't going anywhere" and now the Blue Beetle was upon them.

"I…" he felt his body tremble at the sight of the Reach top soldier.

"Run Bart! Run!" she turned her tortured and bloody body and started shooting "run!" he watched for a fraction of a second as he tried to gather his thoughts, then he was miles and miles away from everything, from anyone. He sat in the middle of nowhere and cried.

OCTOBER 2017

"Thank you everyone" June Moone said as Dr. Fate created a jail around the Enchantress. Thankfully someone had used good old fashion tape and covered her mouth.

"It was our pleasure," Deadman said with a small bow.

"You know your wife is waiting for you," Constantine said before Deadman flipped him the finger.

"Please come visit," June Moone said with a chirping smile. She already knew Deadman was married (or widow) to go back to. Deadman waved before leaving.

"You are staying here?" Constantine said rubbing his temples.

"Once all the crazy magic is gone, it is actually kind of cozy" Zatanna said before pulling June to the side and then starting talk about things she could help her change.

Bart sat the whole time watching the Enchantress through narrowed eyes. He wouldn't let her escape if he could help it.

"She is not going anywhere" Madame Xanadu said as she sat next to him.

"Yeah brat, you are actually more annoying when you behave this seriously" Constantine said lighting a cigar, "are you really from the future?"

"He is the Flash's grandson" Madame Xanadu said before Bart looked at her in wonder, "I can see a person's past, present and future Bart. The moment I saw you I knew you were not from this time for your past was once our future"

"Please don't get all archaic and paradoxical" Constantine sighed, "So he is from a possible future"

"He is," Madame Xanadu confirmed.

"But not anymore because I changed the past. We stopped the Reach from invading" Bart looked worriedly at the gypsy woman.

"You wouldn't be here if that was the case" Constantine said looking away from the teen.

"I am sorry Bartholomew," Madame Xanadu said placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Well, at least you created a new timeline. One where the Reach doesn't conquer us" Shade who had been listening only until then said, "that lady and your father are now going to be just fine"

Even though Bart didn't say anything they knew this was not enough. He had given them a glimpse of a world of pain, something he had tried to stop, but still existed out there somewhere.

888

"Kid wait," John Constantine called him as he and Zatanna started to leave. He handed him a semi crumbled card with a number scribbled on it, "if you need help, well you know the rest"

"John Constantine, are you actually being nice?" Zatanna said with a smile.

"I will deny it if you tell anyone" he said before turning around and walking down the street.

"Bart, I am sorry I brought you into this," she said as they walked towards the nearest Zeta-tube, "I had no idea-"

"I am glad you did," he said without faltering on his step, "I know is not perfect, but at least now _they_ will have happier lives"

Was he really okay? Of course he was not; he just didn't want to worry his friend with things that could no longer be fixed. Enchantress and Madame Xanadu unearthed the fear he had buried. It had only been a hypothesis when he was building the time machine, but he had no other choice at the time and chose to forget it.

"Those poor people," he lifted his head and stared at the news Joan and Jay Garrick were watching the next morning.

"It is still unknown the number of victims" said the reporter standing before a warehouse as body bags were being taken out, one after the other "initial belief was that it was the work of a pack of wild animals, but puncture in some of the bodies have thrown that theory out the window. However, we can say these young people will be dearly missed"

And the camera switched to face a crowd of weeping family members being held back behind police lines. Bart watched sadly as the family members called for justice. They wanted the ones responsible for such atrocities to be punished. Then he saw where they were transmitting from and gasped.

"That's where your friend lives, isn't?" Jay realized too but Bart was gone by then.

"Nightwing!" he called in his communicator.

"He was there but is not hurt" Nightwing said before he could ask, "he will be in later today if you want to see him"

"Thanks," he said before trying to go about his regular day but he felt it was pointless. Before the third period was over he had already left and was running at all speed towards a field in the middle of nowhere. It was green with wild grass and flowers. He threw himself to the soft earth and closed his eyes. It was the place where he had last seen his aunt back in their time. The place where she told him to run and he did.

"You okay kiddo?" he opened his eyes and saw Barry sit next to him. He was dressed in casual clothing, meaning he was probably supposed to be at work.

"Never better" he said smiling at him but Barry still gave him a worried look, "Zatanna told you?"

"No," Barry said with an even more worried look "Jay called me and told me you skipped school. What happened?"

Bart sat and looked at his grandfather "I failed," he told him, "I didn't change my future, it still exists. I just created another time line, but mine still exists"

"Bart, you…"

"She died here protecting me, she told me to run and instead of staying and trying save her I did"

"Stop right there" Barry said looking at him with worried eyes, "you did all you could do and I am sure they would be proud of you just like we are"

But them being proud of him did not change the fact nothing had changed. Still, he agreed with Barry and then went to the tower for his usual training session with Black Canary.

"She is out in a mission," Kaldur said as he and another team prepared to leave.

"Why don't you stay and grab something to eat? Blue will be out in a minute" Miss Martian told him before they left.

He didn't have any appetite but he knew he had no choice but to eat something or he would be hurting badly later on because of his metabolism. He tried to eat, which for the first time in a long time was difficult. He was so lost in his own thoughts as he pocked at his food that he didn't realize he almost missed his friend.

"You okay?" the Blue Beetle sat across from him and he tried not to flinch. He reminded himself this was his friend, not the manipulated soldier of the Reach.

"Hermano!" he smiled at his friend his best of silly grins but Jaime kept looking at him with worry. Maybe he was losing his touch, "okay, I am sort of not okay. Just learned a lot of things today about different timelines and all of that crazy stuff"

"And that got you down because?"

"Because!" he realized then that he was more upset than he had thought "the future I came from is not gone" he slammed his hands on the table, "I helped create a new timeline but that horrible place still exists" he had to calm down; he took dip breaths, "while I have been here doing nothing there is still people suffering there is still people suffering there. I promise them I would change things"

"You did," he heard his friend, "you might not think much of it, but people of that new timeline you created is going to be forever thankful for what you did. Also, you can't give up so soon. You found a way to break the Reach's control over me; if we could get back to your time we could do the same and go from there"

"But there is no way to go back," it was a one way trip.

"Dude, you built a time machine when everything was against you. Think of what you could do now" and the way he said it made him realize his friend really believed he could.

"I… I will think about it"

And he did, for the days to be exact.


	4. Tomorrow's Yesterday

Kid Flash's Not so Easy Path 4

JANUARY 2053

He was now ten years old, but this time there was no cupcake, actually there was no one. He saw in what used to be the Batcave. The place he was able to call home a few years. Mr. Grayson had gone to help the resistance and he refused to be involved with any of it. It was a complete waste of time. He didn't even bother to help creating new weapons. It gave them a false sense of hope. They did almost nothing against the forces of the Reach. Instead he took his time to tinker with other things in the cave. He would often go out to scavenger for pieces and would get something working again, such as the computer which held data of the old times. When he wasn't tinkering, he was going over the records of the old heroes. He found about how his grandfather died without even knowing he was to become a father. That was a story Mr. Grayson never shared with him.

He went over the files of the missing heroes like Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, the Green Lantern and so on. Had they been there they would have been able to stop the invasion. Instead they were trapped somewhere in a jail in space, maybe alive, maybe not. They weren't sure still what happened. Then there was the rise of who they believed would be the next the great hero; the Blue Beetle.

"He was a good kid" he turned to see Richard come into the cave.

"Wait, you knew the Blue Beetle?"

"Keep readying?"

"His name was Jaime Reyes" and he read about where he grew up, how he came across the scarab and his initial involvement with The Team and the League, "he was human?"

"Still is under that armor and the control of the Reach" Grayson said sitting on chair nearby, "the scarab crashed and was damaged when it first arrived to Earth and for a long time those who were able to access its power were able to use its power without problems, but when the Reach arrived and got hold of Jaime they were able to set the scarab on mode"

"Mode?"

"They reset it and just like that they gained a servant. They tricked everyone into trusting them and then allowed them to stay. Then the heroes started disappearing one by one. We had no idea who was behind it. By the time we realized there was a mole and that it was actually the Blue Beetle it was too late. He made sure to get rid of the stronger fighters and left those who were ordinary to fight through the armies of the Reach in vain"

Bart stared at the image of the kid that was once the Blue Beetle. He wanted to hate him, but the kid was in a picture with members that used to belong to The Team. He looked awkward, unsure of himself.

"Since you got this thing working again, let me see" the old man leaned towards the computer and searched for some files, "here it is" he said with a smile before a video started playing.

"_**This is not a good idea"**_ Robin, back then Tim Drake said as he and someone with a green hand taped around what used to be Mount Justice.

"_**Live a little, I heard he is actually very meek" **_the camera turned to a kind of amphibian humanoid, he had read from the files his name was La'gaan, or also known as Lagoon Boy.

"_**With a super powered armor that we don't know what can do yet" **_Robin said with what seemed to be a permanent frown.

"_**If you are looking for Blue, he is with Black Canary. They are in the training room" **_a taller figure appeared in their way. It was young man of dark hair and a mostly black tight fit suit.

"That brings some memories back" Grayson couldn't help to say.

"_**Ehm, thanks Nightwing" **_said the boy holding the camera whom sounded younger than his other two companions.

"_**-again" **_they finally arrived to what he guessed was the training room. Here they taped a beautiful blond woman who was standing before the blue armored teen with her hands on her hips.

"_**Just give me a sec," **_the Blue Beetle said in a nervous voice, so very different from the one he heard in that bloody battle field. He also looked smaller.

"_**Wow" **_Lagoon Boy said as the armor peeled off the teen's body.

"_**You have trouble controlling it?" **_ Black Canary asked him.

"_**Is just that it can sense danger and it makes it more difficult to take off. The first time I had it I couldn't take it off for a whole day"**_ the teen admitted with a small blush.

"_**Now, what do you know about hand to hand combat?"**_ after a few more questions about the armor Black Canary asked him.

"_**Not much, my dad doesn't like me getting into fights so he only thought me a few jabs to defend myself"**_ he took the stance of a boxer and repeating the few jabs his father taught him.

"_**Let's see them in action," **_Black Canary said taking stance across from him.

"_**But…"**_ the boy dropped his stance.

"_**Drop the manners for a moment Jaime, some of those you will confront will be women. You can't lower your guard on them"**_ she said before throwing a similar jab towards him. He dodged to the side still looking unsure.

"_**Just don't tell that to my parents," **_he said taking stance again, "_**they taught me that a woman should not be hit even with the petal of a rose"**_

"_**You won't hit me, believe me"**_ she said before the boy tried the jabs at her and promptly flipped him to his back; as soon as he hit the ground his armor wrapped around his body.

"_**Not again!"**_ the teen shouted before the other teens sneakered and stopped recording.

"He has a sister, Milagro Reyes. Her son leads the resistance in the south. She still believes her brother is in there somewhere but she knows her brother would agree on ending his life if it meant them having a fighting chance"

"You could have killed him back then," Bart tried to ignore there was a real person underneath that monster.

"Even if I could have, I wouldn't have done it. He was a friend Bart" the man once known as Nightwing said before he took a deep breath, "the resistance is now going to concentrate on securing as many people as they can. There are very few of us now"

"I will help" he said but his eyes never left the image in the large screen.

NOVERMBER 2017

He thought a lot about what Jaime said. He revised the theories and work that went into creating his first time machine. It was a one way trip no matter how you looked at it. After that the composition of the machine itself became compromised, and for some reason it could only go back. Was that because of the multiple possible futures? They led to a certain point which they all shared and that was why he could come back to this time? He needed to learn more and thankfully there was more material to go from in that time.

He didn't think anyone would notice. For days and day she spent his free time at every major science library in the country and outside of the country, and reading any research he thought would be of help. Finally he was cornered by his grandfather as he tried to sneak inside his room late at night.

"What are you trying to do?" he asked but Bart knew his grandfather had already gone through the notes in his desk, "you took a risk back then, you don't have to again"

"But I do, if there is a chance I can go back and help, I will" he said standing straight. He was not used to adults telling him what to do anymore. He would do what he believed was right.

Barry Allen sat on his grandson's bed and sighed, "I can't lose you too"

"You won't, I will come back" he assured him.

"You said it was a one way trip,"

"And I am working to find a way around it" Bart said with a smile, "and I will find it"

"I really can't say I am okay with you doing this," Barry said looking at the extensive pile of notes. He knew the kid was smart but he didn't imagine he was that smart.

"You don't have to be," he said.

"You are only fourteen years old," Barry said raising his voice, something Bart had never heard him do, "even if you make it back there won't be much you can do"

"I won't be alone," Blue was going with him and others might join them. He already had in mind a few he could ask, "and I am almost fifteen"

"You are not doing this," Barry said before he gathered all of Bart's notes, "I will not allow it"

Bart did not get upset or even raise his voice. He stared at his grandfather and Barry couldn't help but to feel a chill run through his spine. He and the others had known Bart, the real Bart was hiding behind the silly smile and comments, and now he was seeing him. In reality Bart was an analytical, serious and decisive boy. Slightly jaded from what he had lived in his time and Barry didn't want him to go through any more of it. He believed the boy had actually been happy for the past year, now he wondered how often had the memories of his past haunted him.

"We fight because others can't," Bart said in a calm tone, "we fight because we want a future for ourselves and our children. We fight because there is still a chance and we refuse to let it go. From the young to the oldest, we all try to do our part. When we lose someone we mourn them by working harder, we don't let their deaths go forgotten. We don't give up now; we don't give up even in death"

"Bart?" Barry didn't like those words because he feared who had taught them to him.

"I almost gave up," Bart said, "when she was gone I forgot those words. For a while I believed our days were counted for. Only five percent of human kind was remaining and only one percent was capable of fighting. The rest were captured and kept on work camps by the Reach. With those odds how could we believe we could make it? I concentrated my efforts on trying to save as many as possible, scavenging for food and resources, also looking for safe places to keep them. For a while everything seemed to be fine, but then I realized they wouldn't ever be"

"Bart, what happened?" he didn't shed a tear, instead the boy's eyes because dull as if something was sucking the life out of him.

"Mr. Grayson," he started.

JULY 2053

"Thank you Bart," the woman at charge of looking after the count of provisions said to him. Her name was Milagro Reyes. When he learned her name he couldn't help being surprised but she only laughed.

"Is nothing," he had just finished delivering the provisions needed by every family, "have you seen Mr. Grayson?"

"Not for a while sweetie, last time I saw him he was talking with Alberto," her son and leader of their faction of the resistance.

"They have been meeting a lot," Bart deduced, "for the past few weeks, haven't they?"

"You are a smart boy," she said with a pained smile, "they went to one of the work camps"

"The old idiot," he said clenching his fists, "we are fine now, aren't we?"

"Boy, you didn't live in the times when things were fine. Eventually the Reach will find us. Our only chance is to grow in number and fight back as much as we can" she said tiredly.

"Even if it means killing your brother,"

"Jaime was a wonderful brother, but also brave. He wanted to be a hero even after learning of the death of his predecessor" that was her calm response.

"Which camp did they… never mind…" he was gone and returned a moment later with a map, "I need provisions," he told her before she placed a pack ready on the counter.

"Richard knows you better than you think," she said with a kind smile, "good luck Bart"

"Thanks," and he was gone again.

"I guess Milagro couldn't hold you back anymore," he made it to their lines as they were preparing to attack.

"Are you insane? The place is covered from-"

"We know kid, we aren't blind," said Alberto Reyes. The twenty so year old man always made him shudder because of his close resemblance to his uncle. But where Jaime Reyes had that calm and thoughtful look, Alberto was rough and always on the edge.

"Let him be," said a woman joining their little group. He was surprised to see Lian was still alive. He was sure she had gone with her father and his aunt on that last battle, "did you miss me?"

"Enough chit chat," Richard said before the rest gave him an odd look, "it means no more idle talk. We are moving in five, are you in or not?"

"It all depends, what is your plan?"

"Now that you are here," Richard started, "you set those explosives along the fence and then try to get us a solid number on the refugees after the wall is down. Also get them ready to move out"

"Got it," he said before listening to the part the rest would play.

It seemed those past few months Lian had not spent them mourning. She had been mad her father had sent her off on another mission, without telling him what would happen but didn't dwell on it. She had continued with the mission her father had given her.

The result was that now they had better weapons, their guns were as potent as those of the Reach, and he liked the swords too though he wondered if they would be able to get close enough to use them.

"This is your first battle, you okay?" Richard asked him.

"I am more worried about you" he could always run.

"Don't be kid, just do your thing," he said with a smile before the signal was given to move out.

Everything was actually going according to plan. He was able to set the explosives, drew the attention of the Reach soldiers to their attack and that gave him time to enter the worker camps. He went from bunker to bunker telling everyone to get ready to run. He didn't take time to listen to their answers but just kept moving.

"Clear a path!" he heard Lian shout before their group started to create a gap in between the enemies' forces.

He took a sword and started cutting down as many as he could. Once the path was cleared the people started running. He thought they would be too scared to, but he was wrong. He couldn't help laughing as those people started picking weapons and also fighting back. Hoped was reborn in his eyes, but it didn't last for long.

"You are no match for the Reach!"

"Blue Beetle! Retreat!" someone shouted.

He didn't bother to look where. He took hold of children and anyone who was too slow to stay with the rest and took them as far as he could from the danger before getting more.

"Al!" he heard Lian shout before he turned to see the Blue Beetle holding Alberto by the neck.

"Your kind has been a pest for too long," the Blue Beetle readied his canon.

"No!" he hoped Jaime Reyes was still in there, "he is your nephew! Milagro's son!"

"You meat bags still believe Jaime Re-…" he froze and dropped Alberto, the Blue Beetle looked down but his eyes were filling with tears "Milagro's son?"

Bart got as close as he dared, "yes! His name is Alberto Reyes!"

"She named you after _papá_," a pained smile drew on his face.

"Tío?" Alberto asked with wide eyes.

Then the Beetle's face became a pained mask, "get away… I can't…"

Bart didn't need to hear more. He picked Alberto and got him far from the Beetle before returning to get more and more people out. When everyone was well and away he realized they were missing someone.

"Where is Mr. Grayson!" he asked and when no one could answer he went back one last time.

"Jaime! Wake up!" the old man was dodging the attacks the raging Blue Beetle was sending out, "it's me! Nightwing!"

"He is not coming back!" shouted the angered Beetle before a canon appeared on his chest.

"Yes, he is!" shouted the once Nightwing before running straight forwards.

"Stop!" Bart shouted before trying to run to save the man that had saved his life, taken him in, and mentored him.

"You aren't going anywhere," something took hold of his foot and made him fall. He turned to see a dying Reach warrior holding him tightly, "your world is ours" though dying its grip was like iron.

"Stand back!" he turned to see the energy canon firing, "Nightwing!" he heard Jaime's pained voice before the blast hit his friend and watched him be evaporated.

"No!" he shouted before kicking the alien with his other foot and freeing himself. This time instead of running away he charged directly at the Blue Beetle and tackled the much large man to the ground, "he was your friend! How could you!" and before he realized it he was punching his face as hard as he could.

"Please run…" came the pained voice again, "They made me watch for so long, I don't want to anymore!" and he took hold of the kid and threw him back, "run!" his arm started shaking as it transformed and then he pointed his canon at him, "please protect them" and then shot but he was faster than that and was miles away before the Beetle realized it.

He and the others walked back to their camp. The mission was considered a success. They lost people, but they were able to free so many more

"Bart?" Alberto said joining him, "ehm…" he looked unsure on how to go on, so much like his uncle when he was young and free, "thank you"

"For what?" he said keeping his sights ahead.

"For what?" Alberto asked shocked before his rough demeanor returned "for saving my life, for showing me my uncle is still in there. That he might be able to gain control back, that's what"

"Mr. Grayson died trying to make him regain control," he said keeping his voice even, "your uncle killed his last friend, left nothing of him"

"And weakened the hold of the Reach over him," Alberto said, "there is a reason why the Reach never made the Beetle go into our city, they knew they would weaken their hold. That is part of our victory"

But it didn't feel like a victory to him. He had lost once again someone very dear to him.

NOVEMBER 2017

Barry listened to the end trying to stay calm through the whole telling. At the end they both remained silent for a long time.

"They never gave up," Bart broke the silence, "I am not giving up either. When I left Alberto and Milagro had been moved to a secret location. We suspected they were the answer to regaining the Blue Beetle on our side. After that I left to help other groups break into camps. We were stronger than we had been in a long time. Still, I knew we had little to no chance, that was until I met Nathaniel after freeing him from a camp. The guy apologized to me a thousand times for being the reason of your death. He felt it was all his fault the Reach had been able to invade. He showed me his initial plans for the time machine and I completed them. You know the rest"

"You really aren't going to stop, are you?"

"No," Bart said with a smile, "I am sorry but is something I must do"

"I wish I could say I don't understand," he said placing the notes back in the desk, "just make sure to come back"


	5. The Plan

Kid Flash's Not so Easy Path 5

Gotham was like no other city in the planet. The old skyscrapers with gothic statues and molds, the dark passages and hidden history, and the whispering from the shadows called him to the dirty maze like streets. He had only been there a handful of times and every single time he found it difficult to believe the Reach had turned it into a giant crater. As a child he wondered why they would single that city above others to set an example. As he walked through the streets to the point of meeting it became easier to believe. These were harsh people, with harsh lives, and not afraid of doing what they needed to do to survive.

He didn't have to pass through the bad side of town, but he sort of liked it. He could slip back to who he was, or at least used to be. He wasn't sure anymore. One glace at him and his serious expression made anyone who thought of him a target turn the other way around. It said they shouldn't mess with this kid or they were going to get hurt.

The rules would prevent them from getting hurt initially. They were the rules his father and aunt lived by. When in true danger and if he couldn't run to get away he had to defend himself however he could. The bad guys were lucky he was fast enough to get away. Cornering a speedster was not a very smart thing to do.

The meeting point was actually a park near Tim's house. He made it to the basketball courts where Tim was playing with other kids from his neighborhood. He could tell he was going easy on them though he was considered the least physical of Batman's prodigies. His mind in the other hand was just if not sharper than his mentor's. After the game was over Tim walked over to him with a friendly smile.

"Any trouble?" he asked as he sat next to him in the bench before taking a drink from his bottle of water. He kept his expression positive as to prevent calling attention to themselves.

"Everything is crash," he said leaning back and enjoyed the sun that broke through the thick canopy of the park, "can't someone just visit his friend?"

"Not when he is trying to build a time machine to go back to his time where humanity is enslaved by an alien race" Tim said with a smirk, "Barry dropped by to get _his_ opinion"

"And here I thought you were stalking me," Bart said with a sigh, "so you in?"

"Why not Dick?" everything he had learnt since taking the name Robin came from him and Bruce.

"If I wanted only muscle that's what I would do" he looked to where an ice-cream vendor starter playing a little jingle, "don't take me wrong, he is smart with computers and good organizing teams, but he is too wired if you get what I mean"

"Sort of" Tim said reflecting on his time with the Team.

"I have seen you take charge over missions and when we helped Conner at the farm, you were not afraid to change the plan in middle of it, and you listened to our suggestions even though at first the sounded ridiculous to ourselves. Dick has been helping organize the teams for too long and is now ruled by a set of guidelines. Where I want us to go those guidelines won't help"

Tim was silent for a long time. Bart took the chance to get them some ice-cream and when he came back Tim was still thinking. When he accepted the treat without a word Bart wondered if he had read him wrong. He believed Tim would help them get organized in what whole mess which he was dragging them into.

"Jaime is in, who else?" his tone was even.

"I… I was hoping you could help me with that" he was smart, but he wasn't a leader. That's why he needed Tim. He could see better what everyone could bring in to help.

"Superboy is definitely someone you want to ask. His new abilities will not be something the Reach, even in your time would expect" Tim said looking up at the sky, still in thought.

"Anyone else?" Bart asked.

Tim shook his head, "the rest are too close to their mentors to go against their wishes" even Cassie rarely deviated from Wonder Woman's instructions, "besides, with Jamie and Conner we have enough strength for what we need to do"

"So you…" if he was looking ahead into what needed to be done, it had to be.

"I am in," he said but his expression remained troubled, "we have to talk to Kaldur"

"Wha…why? I though you said only us…" and he didn't know Kaldur that well, but he knew he was a strict leader who refused to let them run unnecessary risks.

"The research and resources needed for the machine and trip" Tim answered.

"I am sure we can get them on our own" but he knew it would take them too long.

"The League disapproves of what you are trying to do, but they won't interfere since Barry isn't" Tim had done more than listening around the Bat-cave. There was definitely a number of Leaguers who didn't Bart even trying.

"Like they could" he said with confidence.

"So we can only ask the Team" Tim continued.

"I know already what he is going to say" Kaldur would definitely say no.

"We lose nothing on trying" Tim offered.

Just time, Bart thought.

He had been right about Kaldur saying no but there was more to it than what Bart thought. The next time he went into the Watchtower the leader of the Team led him to a spare room so they could talk. He did his best to explain the situation as to appeal him. His friends were still fighting for their lives in his time. They gave all the resources they could so he could come back and try to fix things. Since it was impossible to fully change their timeline, he had to at least bring some help. He explained who he wanted and why. He made it sound as logical as possible though he was wearing his heart on his sleeve. Through the whole thing Kaldur's expression barely shifted. Once he ran out of words, which was something rare, he just waited for the leader's answer.

"You and anyone who decides to aid you will be suspended of Team operations if you decide to go through this" Kaldur said at long last.

"I knew you wouldn't listen," and worst of all, he delivered an ultimatum, "I am still not going to stop"

"You will be revoked entrance to the Watchtower," Kaldur said with a tense jaw.

"Fine, I can run wherever I need to" he said standing.

"You realize what you are doing is very selfish, don't you?" Kaldur said standing up as well his temper showing only a little bit, but the older hero needed to remind Bart he was the adult.

"Me selfish? I was the one that came back to this time to try to save you and now you can't even lend me a hand because you are afraid?" he left the room and was closely followed by Kaldur, "I lost friends back then just like you did, but we can't let fear take over our lives. If we had allowed fear into us, we would have been done a long time ago"

If Kaldur thought himself a warrior, then he would let him see he was a soldier.

"I am not letting their deaths be for nothing" he said thinking on those so dear he had lost.

"If you leave their deaths will be for nothing!" Kaldur said before Bart froze in mid step.

"What… what did you say!" and then he was as in front of the man's face with a sneer like a caged animal. If Bart could read minds he would have known at that moment he actually scared Kaldur.

"Your friends, they protected you, didn't they? You are here now, and as safe as you could be. If you go back you could…" Kaldur could also play with the logic.

"I am not running away!" he shouted almost on his face. Not again, he wasn't running away. He was going to help them, "don't get in my way!" and then he couldn't stand being there anymore. The Watchtower felt like a prison, and he hated prisons. He needed space to run.

"Bart!" he didn't stop when Tim called him. He just kept going straight to the Zeta-beams.

He bumped into someone, "watch it!" he sneered before he realized it was a rather shocked Conner, but there was no time to talk. He had to leave.

"Bart wait!" Kaldur was right behind him so he hurried through the Zeta-beam. They could keep him away from missions and the Watchtower, he didn't care. By the time Tim found him at his favorite dinner it was already sunset.

"Conner is in" he said sitting across from him, "I contacted Blue too and we agreed to meet"

He nodded not expecting them to start so soon, which he was not complaining about but it still surprised him. He wondered how he was able to convince Conner so fast.

They waited outside a Zeta-beam before Jaime arrived. He looked exhausted but much better than last time he saw him. He had been a few weeks into his own operation and it seemed things were going as well as they could be.

"Ehm, Black Canary said I am only allowed to use the Zeta-beams tonight and then my authorization would be revoked" though he didn't look upset, he was still troubled, "what did you guys do?"

"The League doesn't approve of what we are doing," Tim answered.

"So they are cutting us off?" Jaime asked more surprised than upset, "that's harsh. I hope they still let me talk to Batman, I think I am getting somewhere with _La Dama_" and then a blush crossed his cheeks, "anyways, who else is coming?"

And in answer the Zeta-beam activated and Conner stepped out.

"Hey Conner!" Bart waved at him hoping he had forgotten all about bumping into him and almost ripping his head off.

He walked towards them setting his eyes on each one of them as if evaluating them. Bart knew that to him they probably looked like a bunch of rebellious rookies. They were still among the last to join the Team, and Conner was of the first.

"Are you sure they won't find us?" he asked Tim in a careful tone.

"Blue is blocking the signals and so am I" Tim said before they started moving. He and Jaime fell behind the other two catching up. He knew Jaime wasn't telling him everything the way he would pause, but the situation seemed embarrassing and awkward enough so that he didn't pry.

They arrived to a rather empty café where they took a boot at the end of the establishment. Here he ordered to his heart content after Tim said he would pick up the tab since Batman seemed to be providing some financial assistance to their cause.

"So where do we start?" Jaime asked as he was given a cup of coffee.

He paused for a moment "I have been doing a lot of research" and then he struggled to get his backpack to the side, "and there are a few things that we need to get and other we need to make" he felt awkward pulling the stacks of lose papers and placing them on the table.

The first one to take one was Conner followed by Tim and then Jaime.

"This is just theoretical work" Tim said though he didn't sound troubled, still the question remained in the air as of how they were to work solely on theories.

"Actually not," he said before they realized he was going faster through them than the rest, he stopped and tilted his head to the side as he usually did when listening to his armor "but it could be better"

Bart didn't waste any time and handed him a pen before he started going through all the notes and adding notes between the lines. He wanted to laugh as loud as he could at the sight. The Blue Beetle, the top soldier of the Reach in his time was helping him! He wished he could see their faces if they learned of this.

"The Reach wanted to make something similar at one point to return back to the time the Lanterns almost destroyed them, but they were missing something very important…" and he tilted again as he listened to his armor.

"What?" he imagined he had reached a similar conclusion.

"An anchor," he said with a smile, "something or something that vibrates at the same frequency as the matter of that time, and that would be you" Jaime said looking worriedly at Bart; "after an anchor has been used it can't be used again. We also have limited time, though that part is harder to get"

"It could be a few minutes or years then" Tim said with a frown.

"But that means we only get one chance" Conner said looking at Bart, but what he and everyone wanted to ask Bart was if he was fine with this. After that trip Bart would not be able to go back to his time.

"We have to try," he said trying to offer a smile.

So they continued to work on the notes and organizing themselves. At the end they came up with lists each one of them would have to work on. They had friends and some resources they would have to work on to get what they needed, but it seemed their goal was within their reach.

As everyone started heading out after sharing their cell phones he found that all the anger he had been feeling earlier that day had faded. So what if he couldn't go to the Watchtower or in missions as usual. He still had friends he could rely on.

It was later at night that someone knocked at his door. He was prepared to fight his way out with his notes when he opened and found Mrs. Garrick with a tray full of food.

"You haven't eaten in a while," she said gently as she placed the tray next to his notes, "we got a call saying you are not going on missions" she turned to him with tired eyes, "are you okay?"

"As soon as I eat," he said offering him a weak smile, "and I will be fine. I have friends who will help me"

"You know," she started, "the first time Jay and I saw you we thought you were a very peculiar boy, and now I see we weren't wrong"

"Ehm, thanks?"

She laughed softly, "What I mean is that we knew you were special, besides the whole speed thing. We thought there was something sad about you, and also something very bright. Like a light at the end of a long tunnel. I wish there was something we could do to help you"

"You are," Bart said a little too fast, his cheeks reddened, "you and Jay have not once tried to stop me, you actually support me. You can't imagine how much that means to me" and they had also taken him into their home and looked after him as if he was their own. He was thankful for that.

"Jay and I still have a few friends that might be of some help to you," she said before she pulled out a small agenda from her pocket, "many of them are retired, but I am sure their minds are just as sharp if you need help"

Bart took the small agenda and saw some of the names in it were actual names to people who were very close to what he needed.

"Thank you!" he said hugging her tightly enough so that she couldn't see the tears threatening to slip past his eyelashes, "really thank you"

888

The four of them were not allowed into the Watchtower unless they stopped trying to get the time machine built. Bart wasn't as affected because he could just move wherever he wanted if he needed to, also if he stuck close to the Flash he could get into some of the action. Through the following days his grandfather didn't say a word about what he was trying to do, or what had happened with Kaldur. That was until they took a break while sitting at top of a building. They watched the world below knowing they could be just anywhere they wanted if they needed to.

"Five percent?" Barry asked. To think that most of the people down below were gone was a scary thought.

"More or less" Bart answered still amazed at the number of people about.

"What will they do once the Reach is gone?" he couldn't imagine people going back to how things used to be. Forty years of being overrun by aliens had to change society.

"I have no idea, establish new governments?" and he could already imagine who would be chosen if they decided to go with a democratic set up.

"And you?" Barry asked what he really wanted to know.

"I will come back" Bart said, though there was a little knot in his throat. Besides he didn't have much of a choice. He was the anchor and could only go back once.

"Will you really?" Barry asked not missing the change in his voice.

"I made a promise, besides the people who matter to me is now here" back in his time they were gone, "I want to see them growing up happy and with you," and by them he meant his father and aunt. He also wanted to see Jaime and his family be happy. He wanted to see Mr. Grayson become old with his friends. He wanted to see where the rest of his friends would go now that they had the chance. He wanted to see how a future Reach free was like.


	6. Building a Time Machine

Kid Flash's Not so Easy Path 6

He hated waiting, but this was important. He followed one of the names of Mrs. Garrick's contacts and this led him to a very stuffy office. The place was covered with samples and papers to the point where you could only walk into the office in a straight line and back. Bart was visiting Dr. Hamilton, one of the top researchers at Star Labs in Metropolis. He read through his work, plus Jaime's additions with raised eyebrows. He gave a glance or two at the kid in wonder.

"So what do you say Doc? Do we have a deal?" Bart asked with a winning smile.

"Give me a moment," Dr. Hamilton said before calling someone over.

"Yes Dr. Hamilton?" a woman said entering the office.

"Dr. Perez, this is Kid Flash, Kid Flash this is Dr. Valerie Perez" Dr. Hamilton said before passing Bart's papers to her.

The dark haired and eyed young woman gave him a questioning look before reading through them. As soon as she realized what she was holding she couldn't stop reading until the end.

"Who wrote this?" she asked still amazed when she finished. She expected to hear it was from an evil genius who wanted to go back to the past and change the course of history. Then she heard the least likely answer she would have thought of.

"I did," Bart said, "and the Blue Beetle."

She turned to look at the teenager. His green eyes stared back at her unflinching and even defiant. There was something menacing about his stare, but as if realizing what he was doing his expression changed completely. He beamed up at her and she was reminded that he was just a kid.

"You kids?" she asked looking back at the paper expecting to see 'this is a joke' written on a corner.

"Yes me, the kid who can run and think faster than most of the world and the other kid has an alien armor with sentient intelligence with knowledge from multiple galaxies," of course them. Besides she didn't look that old to be called a doctor.

"I am leaving this to you Dr. Perez. If there is a chance that it can be built I want you to supervise," Dr. Hamilton said making them both look at each other with worry.

"Me? Why? Not that I mind Dr. Hamilton. The work is very solid so any of the most experienced members of our staff would be happy to follow on it," besides that she wasn't so sure about working alongside heroes, teens at that. She knew Dr. Hamilton got along with Superman, but she had barely seen a glimpse of the man.

"Because you are our youngest member Valerie," he said giving her the smile of a mentor, "us old Scrooges will just keep looking for the ways for it not to work. Besides, this is a project started by this young man and his also young friends. I am sure you will have an easier time communicating with them."

"I am far from my teenage years," she said with a blush. She hated being the youngest in the staff. "But," she started looking at the papers again, "I will do it. It is not every day that someone hands you the plans to a time machine."

888

888

It was a very unwelcome sight. His friend was glaring back at his now ex-girlfriend, also known as Wonder Girl. Bart didn't catch the whole discussion, but it seemed she didn't want Robin going to the future with him. Still, Robin stood his ground and told her why they were doing it. Her face turned redder and redder with every word he spoke until she burst with anger.

"Don't make me the villain on this! If the League doesn't want you doing it there must be a good reason, like oh, I don't know, is too damn dangerous?" she crossed her arms daring him to contradict her.

"All that we do is dangerous," of course Tim Drake was not one to back off, "and I don't answer to the League, you do."

"We can't all go against our mentors Tim. They are the figures others look up for a reason," she said trying to soften her approach.

"If I recall correctly, you had little to no respect towards authority figures until the League finally caught you," but he would not be manipulated. He respected Batman, but he also respected his skills and his decisions. He was his mentor, not his nanny.

"What a surprise! You read my file!" she sneered close to him before red sparks started appearing around her.

"Before things scale any further," Bart said appearing before them and pushing them apart. "I remind you we are in a public space where at any moment a tourist might show up and start taking pictures. Not crash at all, you know?"

They were in front of the Hall of Justice late at night. He and Robin had agreed to meet here to go over a few things. However, it seemed Wonder Girl had taken it as a chance to try to change his friend's mind.

"Who asked you!" Cassie pushed him back after recovering from the shock of his sudden appearance, "this is your fault."

And then she flew away.

"Not crash at all," Bart said looking at his friends, "I am sorry, if you want-"

"I was taught we can't give into others, especially women. If we did, well it would fun but you know." Tim said with a smirk.

"Actually I don't," Bart said with a curious look.

"Never mind that," Tim said and Bart could have sworn his friend almost spilled a secret he shouldn't have. Still he let it go for now and started going over some of the details in their plan.

888

He and Jaime shared a tired look as they continued to follow the half man, half machine around the lab. Dr. Stone listened to them from his desk with a smirk. It wasn't often that his son had visitors, especially ones that could get on his nerves.

"No thank you," Victor Stone said with finality as he turned to face the two insistent teens.

"C'mon Victor, you know you want to," Jaime said to his friend. Almost a year ago he had taken into visiting Victor as his machines were also of alien origin. They had learned a lot from each other about what they could do and since then had remained friends.

"Get on the nerves of the League, yes. But building a time machine to visit an alternative future? That's just too risky," Victor sincerely didn't like the way the League operated. But besides that he didn't feel like messing with the fabrics that kept the universe together.

"Is not like we are going to break time and space," Jaime said.

"Or are we?" Bart couldn't help adding.

"Not helping _hermano_," Jaime said giving him a small shove, "you always said you wanted to find ways to help people on a larger scale, well, this is it."

"Sorry, but the answer is still no. I still don't get how you were able to convince Dr. Hamilton to even allow this on our premises," then again the old man was not ordinary compared to the rest of the staff. It was said he had recreated a Phantom Zone projector of his own and released at least one Kryptonian villain.

"Is all for a good cause," Bart emphasized, "many lives are at stake."

"I know, Blue Beetle explained to me. Still, I don't get how the two of you-"

"Four of us; Robin and Superboy are coming too," Bart said.

"Four? That makes it so much better. You are facing the world already conquered by the Reach," he said as he continued to work on his own project. Then he realized something they said, "Wait, did you say Superboy?"

"The point is we are doing this to help others," Jaime insisted, "and we already have a plan. Believe me; we are not going into this half blind."

"Let's hear it then," Victor said sighing. They were just a bunch of kids. From talking to the Blue Beetle, he knew the kid was close to finishing High School. That meant, he was around the age of seventeen or eighteen. Kid Flash didn't look older than sixteen, and he could bet Robin and this Superboy (for he had never heard of him before) were in the same age group. Still they had good intentions so he decided to give them the benefit of the doubt.

The two of them explained the plan they had created with the rest of their group. Victor was actually surprised to hear them being so detailed about it. It was good, but not so in some aspects. If one little thing went wrong in their plan, it would all fall apart. He made sure to point this out. He knew if he didn't cooperate they would still go on. He wanted to see them return safely.

"But that's the wonderful thing about working with someone that also works alongside Batman," Bart said with a confident smile. "We pretty much have a counterplan for every situation, but we thought we would give you the short version of it."

"You are not pulling my leg?" Victor asked them with an incredulous look. He admitted they were smart kids, to work the makings of that machine they had to be.

"We swear we are not," Blue Beetle said earnestly, "I wouldn't waste your time like that. I know you want to help people your own way."

"Let me think about," he told which got the two teens grinning. It wasn't no and that was an improvement.

Once the young heroes were gone Victor leaned against a wall with a tired sigh. He heard his father chuckle before he raised an eyebrow at him in question.

"You find that funny, don't you?" he said with a smirk. It reminded him of the days when he was getting for a big game and he and his teammates would discuss their strategy.

"You have to admit they cornered you," his father said returning to his work. There was a pause of silence which was common between them when they thought of what to say next, "you should accept. At least to make sure they don't get in trouble or drive Dr. Perez mad."

"You are probably right," Victor said with a sigh.

888

"Half a ton of Ruthenium coming through!" Blue Beetle shouted as he deposited the large rock on a platform outside the lab.

"Where in the world did you find this!" Dr. Perez said looking at the raw material with wide eyes. Ruthenium was one of the rarest metals in the world. A hundred grams of the pure stuff were close to fourteen hundred dollars. If there was at least nine percent of pure Ruthenium in there it meant they had close to six million worth of the stuff. Did these kids even know what they had before them?

"Superboy found it," Blue Beetle said landing next to her before stretching his sore muscles. "It took him a while since he had to get it from international waters. If he had gotten it from any country and it got out we would be in a lot of trouble."

"So you do know how much this is worth," she said in awe.

The Blue Beetle just shrugged before they carried the stone inside. To them it was more about using the best to make the machine. They already had in mind giving the remaining Ruthenium to Star Labs for letting them use their facilities.

888

Bart was having a special dinner with the Allens and Garrets. It was his birthday. He was now sixteen. The food was of the best he ever tasted and the sense of belonging so great he had a difficulty thinking he had lived any other way before. He sat bouncing his aunt Dawn on his knee. She was giggling and laughing before she spotted her mother and then stretched her little arms towards her. Her mother picked her up.

"I bet you would like to spend this day with your friends," Iris said sitting next to her grandson.

"I will meet with them tomorrow. Actually, I am enjoying this. I never liked celebrating my birthdays until Aunt Dawn-"

"You can go on," Iris said with a smile, "is okay Bart. You can talk about them."

But he was afraid to. The baby girl looking at him with the same eyes as that day reminded him of the fragility of life, even theirs.

"Don't keep us in suspense son," Jay said standing close by, "I am curious as to what my goddaughter did."

"Back then it was really hard certain provisions," he started, "the Reach almost all the fertile land so flour was very hard to find. Aunt Dawn somehow did along with other ingredients. She actually baked me a cupcake with frosting," he found himself laughing, "it was the first sweet thing I tasted that I can recall."

"That must have been some cupcake," Barry said placing a hand on his shoulder.

"It was," Bart said looking at the little girl who had fallen asleep in her mother's arms.

888

They had a deadline to meet, if possible sooner. All his time and energy went into this and he didn't regret a second of it. Every time he saw his family in that time he was grateful. Though, he did regret not having a way to save his father, aunt and so many others; he still choose to help those they wanted to protect. That was the least he could do to honor them. So, he concentrated on the pieces in front of him. They were more complicated than he what he had ever done before. When done, this time machine would make the first one look like an oversized toaster.

"Slow down kid, I need to close this circuit first," Victor asked of the speedster for the hundredth time.

"Right, sorry," Kid Flash said stopping assembling before giving Victor the necessary time to finish the base of the motherboard.

"Is only you tonight?" Dr. Perez said walking into the lab they were assigned. Through the past weeks, the kids had been showing up to help build the machine, all with the exception of the so-called Superboy. It seemed the kid at first lived pretty far from them, but now he had moved to Metropolis but was busy with something else. Not that they were shorthanded.

"Robin is up there," Bart pointed to the other youth who didn't stop working as he gave her a small wave.

"You kids really need to go out, you know, be young while it lasts," Dr. Perez said with a glance at each one of them.

"Don't look at me," Victor said, "unless it is a costume party I don't think I will blend in."

"Right, because three youngsters with incredible abilities and minds couldn't find a way around that," Dr. Perez looking over their progress.

"We don't have time for things like that," Robin said looking down at them from his perch.

"Because teenage boys don't die to go out with a cute girl," Dr. Perez said rolling her eyes at them.

"And that is the extensiveness of Dr. Perez's knowledge on teenage boys," Victor said with a smirk.

"Shush Mr. Stone, I remember a certain High School student wooing our interns when he visited his father," Dr. Perez said with a smirk of her own.

"Wooing? I wouldn't call it that," Victor said before Dr. Perez rolled her eyes at him.

"Let's stop that before we start hearing things we don't really want to hear," Kid Flash said giving the 'adults' a tired look.

"Blue is coming," Robin said after receiving a brief message from their friend, "are you sure he is okay to come back so soon?"

"He insisted," Kid Flash told him.

"You kids sure are busy," Dr. Perez said as she sat down going again through what they needed to finish that day to stay on schedule, "he brought down a gang lord… ehm lady and her ring of human trafficking."

"More like Metahuman trafficking, and at top of that she was a witch," Bart shuddered, "a very scary lady."

"I bet," Dr. Perez said wondering how much the news didn't know what actually happened to the heroes. She hoped there were good reasons most of the time.

"Hey," Blue Beetle called as he walked in, "sorry for being away so long."

"Don't worry about it," Robin said as he continued his work, "Batman said you would need some time to rest. How are your friends?"

"Pulling themselves together; they still have trouble believing what happened" Blue Beetle said as he pulled a piece of their Ruthenium before his armor started to purify it until only a silvery block was left. Then, he started working on converting it to pieces they would need.

"But," Robin added immediately as he knew there was something more.

"Solstice," Blue Beetle said handing the pieces to Victor, "she hasn't responded any messages from Godiva or Red Star."

"Godiva? You kids need some help picking your hero names," Dr. Perez said taking a seat nearby with a warm cup of coffee.

"Solstice, isn't she the girl that could shoot energy blasts and fly?" Kid Flash had seen so many faces that day but the moment Jaime mentioned those two it narrowed it down.

"The very same," Jaime said with a sigh. "Godiva told me she went back to her home in India, but she is not answering her emails and when she tried to call she keeps being told she got the wrong number."

"You think someone got her?" Red Robin stopped.

"Could be, but not very likely. Kid Flash saw how powerful she is. After spending months locked, I don't think she would allow anyone the chance to capture her again" Blue said starting to look troubled as other possibilities started to run through his mind.

"I can check on her," Kid Flash said remembering all the anger Solstice expressed as she fought La Dama's creatures. He knew there could be worse things than the girl being held against her will, especially if she could blast energy beams from her hands that could vaporize grown men by the dozen.

Jaime agreed and gave him the address he got from Godiva. Bart arrived at the city of Delhi a few moments later. As one of the largest and most populated cities in the world, he felt at loss for a moment. It took him about one minute to find the address. He wondered how well her family was for he found her home to be the penthouse of a one of the tallest buildings in the decided it would be better not to show up in his uniform in case Solstice's family didn't know what she was. When he knocked the door a woman in traditional Indian robes answered the door. She looked shocked for a moment before bowing.

"_Mahilā isa samaya ghara para nahīṁ hai" _thewoman said now keeping an expressionless face.

"Sorry, I don't speak Hindi," he didn't count on talking to anyone but Kiran, "is Kiran here?"

He wasn't sure if the woman knew English, but he frightened look in her eyes told him she knew something about Kiran.

The woman checked behind her and the hall where he was standing, "Kiran no longer resides in this home," the woman said in almost perfect English.

"Where did she go?" he asked.

"Is complicated," the woman said looking away from him, "you better go young man before the Lady of the home returns."

"But I need to find her, I am worried she is in trouble," he said using his hand to keep her from closing the door.

"And so I am, but there is nothing I can do," the woman whispered in a hurry to him. "I sent her to some friends, but I have not heard anything back from her."

In a hurry, she gave wrote an address on a paper and gave it to him, "thank you."

"No, thank you. Please tell her that her _chachi_ misses her," she said before their heard a voice calling. She hurried to close the door but not before giving him an apologetic look.

The new address led him to the slums of Delhi. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. The slums were immense and the sights held tightly to his chest drawing his breath away. The tall buildings he had been admiring moments ago were replaced with homes made of rough bricks and plaster walls stacked crookedly on top of each other. The well-dressed people, who had been staring at him curiously, were now replaced by frightened children and women. They were not used to seeing foreigner coming around. Finding the address given to him by _chachi_ was hard to find as most of the homes were not numbered and in some cases existed in impromptu created streets. Finally, he arrived at a building sad looking as the rest and knocked. A young boy only wearing a pair of shorts answered the door.

"Ehm hi," he started, "Kiran?"

"She is at the school," the boy said with some difficulty in English. Then took his hand and leading him through the maze of streets to a building where many children sat on the floor holding small notebooks where they wrote as the listened to their teacher; Kiran. She saw him and gave him a curt nod before continuing with her class. He waited outside the school to not distract the children. The small boy, which led him there, told him that Kiran taught them English among other subjects and that she was a very good teacher. All the children, who usually spent time on their own as their parents worked most of the day, were happy to learn and do something with the endless hours of the day.

When class was over, the children raced out after giving their thanks to Kiran along with some gifts from their parents to her. This was how he found her when entering the classroom again. They weren't anything extravagant; some fruits, veggies, seeds, among other basics for a healthy meal. She didn't pay him much attention as she turned to the little boy and gave him what she guessed was a scolding. Still, the young small boy smiled at her before making a question. Kiran sighed before handing him the basket with the gifts she had received. The young boy picked a small parcel with bread before going to sit in a corner of the room to eat it.

"And you are?" she asked turning to him.

Oh right, he didn't have his mask, "we met back in Texas. The Blue Beetle, Godiva, and Red Star are worried about you."

"Tell them I am fine but unable to communicate from here. As you can imagine the reception is not good around here," she said with an angry smirk.

"Kiran, what ha-" he started to ask.

"Go back home kid," she said crossing her arms, "this is beyond whatever you can do."

"_Chachi_ said she missed you but was worried because she hasn't heard anything back from you," he said hoping he could buy some time. He saw the kindness in what she was doing, but couldn't figure out how she came to be here.

"_Chachi?" _her expressionless mask, much like _chachi's _broke for a moment, "that witch must be interfering with my messages. I was wondering why _chachi _had not answered back."

"By witch I guess you mean the 'Lady' _Chachi _was referring to?"

"That woman is no lady," and then as if remembering he was there she sighed, "you may join us for lunch if you want but don't meddle with matters beyond your understanding."

"I will try," he said offering a smirk before she turned away from him with a tired sigh.


	7. Speed Demons

Kid Flash's Not so Easy Path 7

For the first time in a very long time, he didn't feel any appetite. The boy ate the food they had received. They sat in the small room where he had found the boy that served as a home. The young boy chatted happily in Hindi and English as he ate, often scolded by Kiran when he spoke with his mouth full. Bart already liked the kid.

"Aren't you going to eat?" Kiran said pushing the basket towards him, "there is enough."

"Believe me, not for me," he laughed as he took out a small pill container and popped one, "yummy," he said more to himself than them.

"Are those candies?" the little boy, Kumar, asked he got closer to him.

"Nope," Bart said to the little boy putting them away, "I am a little different. So, I have to eat them every once in a while so I don't eat everything in my path."

"But you are skinny!" the little boy said with wide eyes.

"Like I said, I am a little different," he said ruffling the kid's hair.

"Like Kiran?" he asked looking at the girl who was starting to look uncomfortable.

"Sort of," he said with a smile, "cool, right?"

"Right!" the boy said before standing and then running around the room playing believe that he could fly.

"_Kiran, yaha kauna hai?"_ a woman said entering the room and stared worriedly at Bart and Kiran.

"_Mām̐!"_ Kumar jumped to the woman's tired arms before he started speaking fast and pointing at Bart. The woman whom Bart guessed was Kumar's mother started to look even more worried.

"_Chōṛanē kē li'ē usē batā dīji'ē,_" the woman told Kiran, who nodded.

"Let's go, we need to let her rest," Kiran said to him leaving behind the basket still full with food and then walking away from the home.

"Sorry if I got you into trouble," he guessed Kumar's mother also knew about Kiran's abilities. Though she allowed the girl in her home and near her child, she still wasn't comfortable meeting more of their kind.

"Aditi was just tired and didn't want to ask too many questions until she had a good rest. She will be a chatter box tomorrow when I go back," Kiran told him as they walked down the street now covered with the setting sun's light. He hadn't realized he had been there that long.

"And where will you stay then?" he asked a little worried but Kiran remained calm as she waved at the children who knew her from the school.

"I guess you won't leave me alone until I show you," she said as they continued walking. They had been well out of the slums and into the woods before she changed before his eyes. He wasn't sure if to look away because when she changed it looked like her clothing burned away. She looked exactly the same as when he first saw her fight in Texas. Her skin was black with the texture of stone, but there were cracks on it defining her face and body through which blue light escaped. Her dark hair turned into a dark cloud that floated about her.

"Aren't you going to change?" she asked him.

"Right," he said disappearing and reappearing in seconds in his uniform.

"Kid Flash?" she asked a little surprised.

"In the flesh," he said with his trade smile.

"I guess I won't be able to ditch you," she sighed before she flew.

"You were planning to ditch me!" he called after her.

It didn't take them long to arrive at the ruins of a temple covered by the roots of immense trees and foliage. Once she landed she entered one of the many passages, he followed her close behind until they reached a dead end. She took hold of the large boulder in their way and moved it to the side just a bit so they could fit through. He followed her and found they were in a chamber that served her as a home. There was a desk, chair, a mattress neatly set as her bed, a closet, a fridge, and even a bookshelf filled with many titles. There was the light sound of a generator as she turned on a light though the place wasn't entirely dark.

"You live here in your own?" he asked picking in the fridge, it was full.

"Is not a big deal," she said in her defense as he looked around.

"This is crash," he said now looking at the titles she had; some were in English, "I wished I had a place like this in the old days."

"Crash?" she asked.

"Cool," he said turning to face her but now his peculiar smile was gone. "Look, I see that you can take care of yourself though I wish you would tell me more of what is going on."

"Not a chance," she said though she didn't sound as weary as before.

"Okay, but please keep in touch with us and if you are in trouble don't doubt about getting in contact with us" he handed her a piece of paper with numbers and emails. Then he pointed at the number on the top "that's mine, the name is Bart by the way."

And just like he had appeared in her life, he was gone.

Kiran sat on her bed in silence for a while. She had expected more of a fight from him. There was a moment where she was tempted to get rid of the piece of paper but then she saw the information to contact Godiva and Red Star and hid the paper inside one of her books. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to stay in touch with them.

888

He collapsed in exhaustion. He lay on his back as he took deep breaths. He double checked everything, and now it was just the matter of what they would bring with them. Once he got his breath back, he was going to look for the necessary items. He closed his eyes, and before he knew it dawn had arrived. In a few days, they would try their machine. There was no time to lose. After a quick shower and breakfast, he took off to Texas.

He found Jaime sitting outside his backyard with his little sister.

"Go play inside Milagro," Jaime told his little sister.

"But I want to show him my trick," she said and before her brother could say otherwise she was bouncing in from of Bart. "Look!" and she made a coin appear on her hand.

"That's not how it works," Jaime sighed, "you have to pull it from behind his ear."

"But then he will not believe it's real magic," she said pouting before running inside home, "Mom! Jaime is being a meany!"

"I take your grandma is teaching her," Bart laughed.

"She will be leaving in a month and then will be sending another sorceress of trust to continue teaching her," Jaime said as he collapsed on the grass, "is almost time, right?"

"This weekend," Bart said with a smile, "I will tell Tim, and you can go ahead and tell Conner."

"I am still not so sure about hacking the League's Zeta-beams," Jaime said with a frown.

"The L doesn't mind. They haven'tsaid anything yet. And even if they did Tim would take care of it in no time," though he had no need for the Zeta beams he knew they were of great help to his friends.

"The L?" Jaime asked raising a curious eyebrow at him.

"The League, you know? So people don't know we are talking about," Bart said with a grin.

"I guess," but though he sounded unsure, Bart could also hear the humor in his tone.

888

Bart waited inside the Hall of Justice and waived at the few tourist watching from the glass above. When Tim arrived, they sat on the comfortable chairs. Bart could tell right away his friend was not in a good mood, which was very unusual for the usually serious teen.

"Cassie is still trying to make me go back to the League," Robin said when asked. He knew there was no point hiding this from his speedster friend.

"The L, we are calling it the L now," Bart said hoping it would make him relax a bit just like with Blue.

Tim raised an eyebrow at him but didn't question him, "please give me you got some good news."

"We are leaving this weekend," Bart told him with a more serious expression.

"Alright then, is there anything we need to prepare for the trip besides our gear?" Tim asked him ready to take note.

"I will take care of everything else we will need," Bart said before telling Tim the basics of it. At the end of their talk Bart realized that the situation felt much realer, "we are really doing this on our own, aren't we?"

"Yeah," but both kids were smiling.

888

"Ehm Bart, you got a visitor," he heard Mr. Garret call from the living room.

He left the kitchen where he had been organizing his pills before he spotted no other than John Constantine at his door smoking a cigar.

"Hey there brat," he said puffing a stream of smoke.

"How did you find me?" was the first thing he could find to say.

"Remember that little amulet I lent you?" the older man gave a devilish grin. Bart made a mental note to tell the rest of his friends to be careful of borrowing anything from the English man.

"Oh," he said before retrieving it from his room, "you need it back?"

"You can keep it, but I would like you to help me with something," he said leaning on the frame of the door towering over the kid and Jay Garret.

"It's sort of late to ask a child to leave his home," Jay said standing between the man and the kid.

"He is not ordinary kid gramps," Constantine said with a careless laugh.

"And I am not ordinary gramps," Jay said already holding Constantine's cigar before dropping it to the ground and stepping on it.

"Right, right," Constantine sighed, "there isn't anyone else I can ask to do this."

"Bart?" Jay asked the teen.

"It's okay," Bart said.

"Great, now don't change into that ridiculous costume and just follow me. If we hurry, we might just make it back in time for breakfast."

888

His head spun as he almost passed out and fell to his knees before spilling his stomach to the grass. He stumbled back to his feet before glancing at Constantine, who was already lighting a new cigar. Bart wiped his mouth before glaring at him.

"Transportation spells are a pain, right?" he laughed.

"Right, so what are we for?" he already had a bad feeling about this.

They were standing in front of an old stone church hidden in the woods. Bart could tell from one glance that the place was abandoned a while back. "You will see, follow me," and then started to walk around it. Constantine made sure to point out to him to stay out of a ring of stones that went around the whole church.

"Is this place haunted?" not that he couldn't outrun any ghost. As the hairs on the back of his head started to stand, he wondered if he should start running now.

"I wish," Constantine said as the emerged to the back.

"A cemetery, please tell me we aren't digging anyone out," suddenly all those scary movies he watched with Beast Boy.

"Once again: I wish," he said throwing the remaining of his cigar.

"Then?" Bart asked as he noticed the tombs had odd markings on them.

"Here" they stopped in front of an old well with a stone lid over it.

"A well?" the lid had the same kind of strange markings on it.

"Now just any well, The Wishing Well," Constantine said leaning against it before glaring at the abandoned church, "in the older days this church had a strong group of believers. The congregation was here just about every day praying for their beloved ones. Things, at that time erroneously called miracles started to happen. Soon people realized there was a connection to this well. They believed for a while that their prayers were being heard, but not by whom they wanted to. As the people drank more and more from this well, their wishes started to turn selfish and eventually outright cruel."

"They were misled," Bart said looking at the graves with a new understanding.

"For something to be corrupted the potential of corruption must already exist. The moment they learned what power they had they allowed their greed to take over," the sorcerer said, "though they called themselves a faithful flock they were all actually wolves."

"So mode," Bart said, "and harsh."

"Sorcerers and even some priests in a rare pact sealed the well. You can guess how the congregation reacted," and he was sure that even the old records he found did not make justice to the true bloodbath that occurred in that land so long ago.

"That doesn't explain what we are doing here," Bart said.

"We are here to banish the demon inside the well," he said pointing at the stone slab.

"I think you got the wrong person for the job," Bart said stepping back.

"On the contrary, the bloke down there like most of his friends has an affinity for games. This one, in particular, enjoys races," he allowed the silence that followed to talk for itself.

"You are kidding," Bart said ready to bolt and John could see that.

"Am not you cheeky brat. Look, this land was recently acquired by a big firm that plans to turn it into a public park that means this place will be at the access of civilians. Why else do you think I would even bother to do something like this? "

"Oh… Ohhh!" Bart said imagining for a horrifying second what would happen if people learned there was a real wish granting well.

"You costumes are not the only ones looking after people, remember?" Constantine said more tired than angry. He enjoyed being a sorcerer but where many others of his kind found easy at ignoring quells of their world, he just couldn't. Not because he was a good guy, like hell he was, but he just couldn't stand and watch as the world went to hell, literally.

"Of course, but wouldn't it be better if you bring someone like Zatanna or Dr. Fate or the magic coat guy?"

"Because the fewer people exposed to those waters the better," John said. "Besides, not everyone can resist its lure."

"If that's your way of saying you trust me-" he couldn't help to smirk.

"I trust that you will get what we need fast," Constantine said giving him a shove, "now give me your hand, I need the blood of a virgin to remove this thing."

"Hey!" he said pulling his hands behind his back.

"Don't be shy, I promise I will teach you all about the 'slap and tickle' and 'rumpy-pumpy' if we get out of this,"

"What does that even me-" but before could continue any further he got his hand snatched and cut his hand before slapping his hand on the stone, "you asshole… What if I wasn't a virgin?"

"You kid? Now that is rich," he said as Bart removed his hand.

"And I will say it again, you are an asshole," he said with a sneer as he watched his hand starting to heal.

"Never said otherwise," Constantine said a little curious at seeing his hands fully healed after a short moment.

They watched as the slab slid off the top of the well and fell with a loud thump to the side. Both leaned to look down at the dark vacuum.

"So what now?" Bart asked.

"You do what you do best," he said before giving Bart a push, "run!"

888 hours later 888

Bart crawled out of the well spitting grit and fire at the sorcerer swinging his legs over the well.

"You bastard," he said as he finally threw his body over the well and landed on the overgrown grass. He gasped for air. Having a race with an actual speed demon was not something he would ever do again if he could help it. He leaned against the wall of the well and swallowed one of his energy pills.

"Oh, bugger off kid, we banished the demon and got this," he said showing him a golden pocket watch.

"After it tried to gut me. You got that after drinking that water after you told me how it affected people," though he had to admit it looked really nice, With this being a watch that came from a demon he wouldn't put it past it doing something horrible.

"Which didn't affect me at all because you helped me banish the demon," Constantine said as he slid down to sit next to him.

"You were after that watch," Bart groaned in frustration. Zatanna had warned him about Constantine's shady behavior. Yet, he didn't feel as bothered as was trying to act.

"If it makes you feel better they are trying to turn this place into a park though this area is going to be off limits. The family who owns the lands knows how dangerous this place was, and that's why they also hired me," he said with a bigger smirk.

"So this was a paying job," Okay, now he was getting upset.

"You costumes know this type of life doesn't pay for its own," he said as he kept swinging the pocket watch from its chain.

"Okay now…" he thought for a moment, "I want half of that." He was going to make him pay.

"Twenty," Constantine said with a smirk as he lit a new cigar.

"Forty," Bart said.

"Twenty-five," the sorcerer, said after a long swift.

"Forty, I did all the running," no debating that.

"Thirty-five and that's my final offer," it was. He was ready to throw the kid in the well again and make a run for it.

"Fine," Bart said trying not to roll his eyes.

"But I will get your help with other jobs," Constantine said with a smirk.

"As long as I get a fair share I don't see why not," though he would drill for the full details next time.

"And I will tell you all about how to get a girl to the 'slap and tickle' and the-" he started.

"Stop right there," Bart laughed, "I know what that means, and I don't want to hear it from you."

"Yeah, you will be begging for my help when you meet a girl that gets you-" and he could still remember the first time he saw a girl under a different light.

"So what does that watch do?" he said not wanting to hear that.

"This old trinket?" he said as he stopped swinging the chain.

"Yeah, you drank that demonic water for it," he looked at him skeptically.

"It's yours," he said tossing it to him.

"Mine?" he held it by the chain worried it might do something.

"Good for one rainy day," the sorcerer said standing up.

"What does it do?" he stood up too.

"Just save it for a rainy day. Is not cursed or anything if that's what you think. Just good for a rainy day," he said with a smirk, "now let's get you home before your gramps comes searching for us." Constantine said before starting to cast the transportation spell.

"I think I will take my own-"

"Too late," John laughed as they appeared in the backyard of the Garret's house.

"I am starting to hate you," he said trying to get back on his feet.

"Join the club," Constantine said inviting himself in just in time for breakfast with the Garrets.

888

He stood before their machine with his friends. Dr. Perez and Victor Stone were standing to monitor the machine. They both gave their team trusting smiles as the machine buzzed into life.

"Remember kids to keep your limbs inside the ride," Victor said, "You don't want to end up like me."

"Oh Victor," Dr. Perez said shaking her head at Victor, "just remember to remove those belts if things get out of hand."

"Something you shouldn't actually do in a ride," Victor said as he had the belts activated, which blended into their uniforms. They wouldn't want the Reach to find the way to take them off the picture.

Bart brushed his fingers over his belt. It was the only thing that would keep him back in his timeline. After taking it off, if it lasted as long as it needed it, he would never be able to go back. There was no chance in the world he would leave willingly until he saw the Reach out of their planet.


	8. Homecoming

Kid Flash's Not so Easy Path 8

His heart was beating so fast that if one cared to listen it they would hear a hum. One moment they were looking at Victor and Dr. Perez and next the ground was pulled under their feet. It was very different from the machine he had built almost two years ago, he thought as he felt his molecules vibrate and then sink of his home timeline. There was no tunnel, there was no light, and there wasn't even darkness. For a moment, they just weren't and the next they were.

They didn't even get a chance to prepare. When they appeared on the desired timeline, they all fell to their backs out of breath. As if their bodies had to restart. It was worse than been winded down.

"Is everyone in one piece?" Tim asked as they laid there for a moment.

"Does it count if I feel like my head is going to split in two?" Jaime asked said sitting up. But he knew the long silence that followed from his friend was due to the sight around them, "_oh Dios."_

He had to keep his eyes closed for a minute and make it last. This was something he didn't want to ever see again.

"This is Metropolis, isn't it?" Superboy asked. His usual confident tone was replaced with one of sorrow. He had been protecting Metropolis for a while now and had admitted to loving the place in a short time.

Of course it was, he wanted to tell him. The ruins of Metropolis were some of the most imposing; the site of the last stand.

"Bart?" Superboy called him when he didn't get an answer.

"Yeah," finally he sat up and took the sight in. The place was full of crumbling buildings and inside those building and on what remained of the streets the bodies of those who fought to the end; men, women, and even children. He had chosen this place as their landing space because of it. No one ever came around here anymore.

"Let's get going," Tim said before the addition to his suit took effect. A pair of metallic red wings spread from his back. In any other occasion, they would be asking about it, but they all just wanted to get out of there as soon as possible.

He ran as the rest flew towards the place where Mount Justice used to be. When he first left he had known that it would leave a large amount of Tachyons which the Beetle of that time would detect in a few minutes. If they wanted this to work, they had to get there first.

"I am going ahead to get Neutron up to date," he called them before running ahead. When he got there, Neutron looked mortified. He had changed slightly, but he seemed distressed at seeing the rest of the world just the same. Bart couldn't help feeling sorry for the man who had tried so hard to change everything. Still, he hoped he would be willing to help them with the next part of their plan.

It took Nathaniel a moment to realize someone had appeared before him. When he did, he jumped back and fell before looking at him with wide eyes.

"Kid Flash? But how? Did Bart- did actually-" he looked around shaken, but they were still in the crater that used to be Mount Justice.

"Nathaniel, it's me," Kid Flash took his mask off; "I came back with help."

"We failed," the man said as he held his head in his hands, "this can't be. All is lost."

"We didn't!" Bart was fast to tell him.

"But…"

"I told you, I brought help. We saved the past but this timeline because disconnected from the main line. I thought everything was fixed but when I found it wasn't… well I just had to come back," he said lastly with a shrug.

"You… you look older," Neutron said realizing Bart was quite a bit taller.

"It has been two years for me," he explained his friend.

"So, you came back," Neutron said looking at the young hero after a moment.

"Will be until we get those bastards off our planet," he said with a smirk, "and I will need your help again. The Beetle is coming."

"But I don't have my powers anymore; I can't fight it," Neutron paled just thinking about it.

"We are not fighting the Beetle. We are freeing Jaime Reyes," he said as if it was the most ordinary thing to do.

"Please tell me you brought the League with you," Neutron said after a pause, "and that you haven't gone soft."

"You will see in a moment," Bart said before his friends arrived.

Neutron stared at them in shock and then his shock turned into horror when his eyes stopped on the Blue Beetle. "The Be-eetle, is- are you?" Neutron pulled a gun from his back pocket and pointed it at Jaime.

"Wow man! I am Reach control free!" Jaime raised his hands though the gun could do nothing as long as he wore his armor.

"He is crash," Bart said taking the gun away from Neutron. The man glared at him.

"I am really okay," Jaime said before removing his helmet, "We are all here to help, but we must free the Beetle of this time first. We are going to need his help."

"He is coming," Superboy said looking in the direction where he could sense the Blue Beetle of that time approaching. "He will be here in two minutes."

"What are you going to do?!" Neutron asked clearly worried.

"Just try to stall him for a moment," Robin said before they took positions around Neutron and Kid Flash, who had changed in an instant to ordinary clothing.

"I hope you know what you doing," Neutron said before he watched the other three disappear, "what?"

"Superboy is able to bend light to hide them, and Jaime is disrupting the Beetle's sensors so he can't use other means to detect them," Bart told his friend as the Beetle finally came into sight.

"You really thought this through," Neutron said with wide eyes. The Reach soldier was almost upon them.

"What did you expect?" Bart said with a short laugh. Neutron gave him an odd look but said nothing more.

"Meat bags," the Beetle landed before them with a sneer. "Your attempt to change reality is futile. Resign to any hope," he started stalking towards them readying his cannon.

"Is that what you really think Jaime?" Bart said hoping to see a glance of his friend.

"Any attempt to reach the host is also futile. The Reach is strong and it will always be," and the Beetle dared to smile, "you are not getting away this time Bart Allen."

"You know my name, I am feeling the mode," Bart cringed before making a motion with his hand.

"What is the meaning of-" but then the Beetle found he couldn't move. Bart had never been more thankful for Superboy's new powers. He held the Beetle in place using his tactile telekinesis.

"Now let's get the real you out of there," Bart said as his friends reappeared around them. Jaime walked to stand before the Beetle Bart had known most of his life. The ruthless soldier of the Reach simply glared and then muttered a curse.

"This is so wrong," Jaime said, his eye clearly haunted by what he was seeing. It was what he would have become hadn't his friends found what the Reach was trying to do.

"Hurry," Superboy reminded them as he started to struggle, "he is giving it his all."

Bart watched as his friend extended the pincers of his suit to then stab them in the back of the Beetle.

"Your attempts are futile," the Beetle said as he leaned down to glare at Jaime, "there is nothing left of you in here."

"You are wrong," Bart said, "I have seen him. Now Blue," he said not wanting to see the monster anymore.

Jaime started the override. His scarab started sending the new programming born from their interference with the Reach and the influence from Jaime over time.

"The helmet," called Robin before Jaime forced the Beetle to lower his helmet and they saw what had become of Jaime Reyes.

The man behind the mask of terror glared at them with cold eyes as he sneered like a best about to pounce.

"That coward died a long time ago!" now that the helmet wasn't disguising his voice they heard the man's voice shout with fury. Bart saw his friend flinch and didn't blame him. His voice sounded almost like the voice of Jaime's father.

"No," Jaime said as he looked up to meet the man's eyes, "I can sense him in there! Let him go!"

The Beetle started to laugh cruelly and didn't give in an inch. Bart and Tim were in charge of looking for any soldiers of the Reach, but soon turned their full attention to the struggle. They both could sense they might be needed.

"No, no, no, no, no… it can't be," and he regretted being right. He saw Jaime close his eyes and grind his teeth as if in pain, "you can't give up. We just can't. It's not too late."

"If you can call that a man, he trembles in fear and shame," the Beetle laughed. "Now child, I will turn you into the loyal Reach soldier you were meant to be."

"No!" Bart was ready to push them apart.

"Wait," Tim said stepping forwards as he brought something out of his pocket. "Keep him still Superboy."

"Easy for you to say," Superboy said through greeted teeth. He had never fought to keep control of something for so long.

"Just a while longer," Tim said standing to the side of the two Blue Beetles.

"Tim, get away. I won't be able to stop him for long," Jaime said as he struggled to keep his scarab off mode.

"Trust me, we can do this," Tim said.

"_What are we supposed to say?"_ Jaime and the Beetle froze at hearing that voice. They turned their heads slowly to the small screen Robin was holding. It was a recording with Jaime's parents and sister.

"_Whatever you want to tell your son from that time,"_ Tim's voice was heard behind the recorder.

"_Ehm… Jaime. This is your mother,"_ Bianca Reyes started a bit unsure.

"_Dear, he knows,"_ Alberto Reyes said placing a hand on his wife's shoulder.

"_Right, right…"_ she shook her head slightly before giving her husband a thankful smile. Then, she turned back to the camera, _"mijo we know things are far from the best where you are right now. But remember what we taught you. Even in the greatest darkness, there is always a ray of hope. We know you know what to do to help them. We know that you know what the right thing to do is. We ask you, please don't give up,"_ Bianca said lastly before her husband brought her to his arms and held her tightly.

"_Son,"_ his father started, _"I am not good at this type of stuff, and you know that. But I want to ask you two things. First, become the man you were meant to be. Even before you got that armor, we knew you were meant to do great things. The armor was just a reassurance. Second, is to please look after your sister. We heard she is still there. I know it might sound selfish with all the things you are going through, but I know you will be able to do it." _Mr. Reyes gave a tired smile at the camera before saying, _"now mija."_

"_DON'T GIVE UP JAIME!" _Jaime's little sister, Milagro shouted at top of her eight-year-old lungs with her fists raised in the air. "_Beat the bad guys and! And!" _the little girl's eyes started to water as she brought her little fists to her chest, _"please make sure my brother comes back home!"_

"Milagro…" the Beetle or better said the Jaime of that twisted and sad time had said before his eyes rolled to the back of his head.

"Now!" Tim shouted, but Bart knew his friend didn't need to be told. Their Jaime was holding back tears as he poured all of his will into saving the other man.

Bart watched as the armor of the Reach soldier he had feared for so long retracted before only the man remained. His friend stood back slightly and caught the man before laying him on the ground.

"You… you did it," Neutron said. He had watched the whole ordeal with wide eyes.

"I will be the judge of that," Superboy said as he placed a hand on the man's forehead and closed his eyes. Conner had practiced this with M'gann the past few weeks to make sure they had indeed freed the once Reach soldier. "He is clear," Superboy announced with a small smile.

"Then let's get moving, we don't have much time," Robin said as he opened his red wings, "Bart, you know what to do."

"Got it," Bart said before taking off towards the rebel's base. His friends would take Neutron and the Jaime of that time with them and catch up with him as fast as they could. He had to stop for a moment. The reality of what was happening finally hit him fully. He was back. He chuckled to himself glad that his friends weren't around to question his sanity. He was starting to question it himself. What he was about to do next was no kids' game.

He started running again as fast as he could. He had to get this right for the wellbeing of everyone.

He arrived at a group of large rocks. It had taken them a long time to form such a good base. He placed his hand on the hidden scanner hoping that it wouldn't make a fuzz about his age. There was a small buzzing sound before the fake rock opened to reveal an entrance leading down. Waiting for him at the bottom was Lian. She seemed to be ready to impart a mean remark, but the moment she spotted him wearing Kid Flash's outfit and at least four inches taller she could only gape. He had kept the mask off so there wouldn't be any doubt of who he was.

"Long time no see Lian," he said to the woman whom now wore a red hood.

"Bart? Is that you?" she asked stepping towards him. They were now of the same height. He remembered eating with her the morning of that day. She had called his plan foolish and also called him a pipsqueak. He had left upset and now he was just glad to see her again.

"The one and only… from this time, I mean. But we don't want to get into that conversation. How have you been?" he asked with a smile that immediately took her by surprise.

"You mean the two hours ago from when I last saw you?" she asked with narrowed eyes. She was clearly trying to see if this was some sort of trick.

"Wow, does time fly, doesn't it?" he said linking his hands behind his head.

"Cut the crap Allen and tell me what is going on," Lian said drawing her bow with one hand and her other reaching for a red-tipped arrow.

"It worked," he said dropping his arms to the sides and erasing the smile from his face.

"Clearly it didn't. You look older but the world is still in the shitter," Lian said with a cruel smirk.

"It worked, the whole time traveling part, but even after changing the past this future continued to exist as an alternative future. I came back when I found about it and brought help," he said walking towards her. She didn't draw the arrow, but her glare never left him.

"You are not serious," she said looking at his Kid Flash outfit with a new understanding. "You brought the League with you?"

"Well, not really?" he admitted flinching. Neutron had expected the same. He hoped they wouldn't get picky with their current situation.

"Then?" she asked with a sneer.

"They will be here soon. I came to get the council ready to hear us out. We have a plan," he said walking ahead and into the base.

"Whoever this we is, it better be good Bart," she said she followed him deeper into the base.

He got the whole council together but didn't explain anything. He knew it would be hard enough when they saw who he had brought along. Still, he couldn't help to watch them with a feeling of nostalgia. They were people had looked up for as long as he could remember.

There was Damian, the grandson of Ra's al Ghul, who though now had no League of Assassins to lead, took charge of training their forces to their utmost potential. The man was serious and quiet, usually delivering sarcastic retorts when needed. There was very little they knew about him but there was a familiarity about him now that wasn't there before. But he always had the feeling it was for the best not to know too much about him. He was the grandson of Ra's al Ghul, after all. He remembered Mr. Grayson tell him to not get too close to him, though he never told him why. The man was a great leader in the battle and always in the front. He, like most of the council, was just human.

There was Lian, who had taken her father's place after his passing. She was in charge of intelligence and of course she was good at it. He had known her most of his life and though she liked to act mean, he knew she could be one of the most caring people in the world. Though since the death of her father it was harder to tell as she tried to stay out on the field as often as she could, and when he saw her she was usually ready rip the head of anyone who even dare to look at her the wrong way. She had started to wear a red hood and carry bow and arrows. Many called her Red Arrow behind her back or even Red Hood. He knew what it was like to come from a peculiar family, so he didn't get upset at her. He hoped that one day all that anger would be gone just for her sake.

There was Alberto, the youngest of the group but of the brightest mind. He was their strategist and since Mr. Grayson's passing the one that worked on their new technology. Since they found the Beetle had a weakness against him, they had tried to keep him busy in the labs, meeting and moving him as often as possible. However, Alberto was stubborn as the rest of his family and would still go to battle if not just to make sure his inventions worked as they should. Everyone knew he was related to the Beetle and those who dared give him grief about it usually ended with a broken nose and missing a few teeth. He had all the aggressiveness that Jaime lacked, which worried him when he saw not one but two Jaime Reyes.

Arthur Curry (Jr.) was the king of Atlantis, or what remained of it. Aquaman, his father, led their people valiantly on one of the biggest blows to the Reach, but sadly at a heavy cost. There were almost no Atlanteans left. After his father's passing, Arthur took charge, and though back then he had been very young he was a wise leader. The Reach didn't try to exploit their seas as much as they could because they could still remember their own losses. This was good news for everyone, for the sea would be needed to restore life to their world. Arthur rarely ever came out of the sea, but when he did he really meant business.

Then there was Jai… Jai West to be exact. The man always smiled at him, but he could tell it was not an honest smile. He was the only surviving child of Wally West and Artemis Crock and the only one of those children to be born without any powers. Still, Jai was a man to be reckoned with. He had an incredible built and his mastery of any weapon as soon as it fell into his hands overpassed his mother's and even his grandfather's mastery. They were sort of related on his grandmother's Iris side of the family, but the two of them never really connected. Still, as soon as he spotted him wearing the Kid Flash outfit Jai's father used to wear the fake smile didn't even reach his lips. He simply leaned back in his chair and waited.

"Bart, you really need to start telling us what is going on," Alberto said giving the young man a worried look. "You seem very different, and I don't mean the sudden grow spurt or the uniform."

"I spent two years in the past and helped stop the reach," he said still looking at the door.

"Or so he says," Lian said with her arms crossed.

"Is hard not to believe looking at his current state," Damian said with a raised eyebrow, "records did show Wally West had already retired before the invasion started."

"Whatever your plan is Bart, I hope you don't go around wearing that. Discretion is needed in this time, in case you have forgotten," Arthur said with a frown.

"They are here," Bart said as he felt a brush in his mind. The ability to communicate telepathically was still something Superboy needed to work on. He left the room before any other inquiries could be raised. He knew he was different. He had been feeding well and having a relatively normal and nice life for the past two years. He had gone soft in their eyes.

He found many standing close to the stairs. He knew this would be a shock to all of them, but there was no time to lose. He opened the doors after confirming it was his friends. When they were seen, there were shocked and frightened gasps. The frightened ones came mostly from seeing his friend Jaime in full armor.

"Move aside people, we have a meeting to attend to," he said tossing the guns he had gathered from the onlookers. He could feel his friends' discomfort as people tried to reach for them to see if they were real.

When they reached the meeting room, all the members of the council were standing and holding their preferred weapons.

"Have you gone insane!" shouted Lian, "what are you doing bringing the Beetle here!"

"How many times I am going to say this? I am off mode," Jaime said before retracting his whole armor, "didn't you tell them we stopped the Reach?"

"I did, they don't believe me hermano," Bart said with a sigh.

"_Oh, Que la_… I am off mode, please stop pointing weapons at me," Jaime said before his eyes landed on Alberto. A frown appeared on his face immediately but didn't ask.

"And who is that?" Arthur asked when he spotted the man Superboy was carrying with his tactile telekinesis.

"That's the Jaime Reyes of this time; he is off mode too," Superboy said bringing the man to lay on their table.

"What?" they all jumped back and looked at the man with horror.

"We are going to need him for this," Tim said stepping forwards.

"Bart, what were you thinking?" Lian asked him with a sneer, "You brought sidekicks?"

"Don't call us sidekicks," Superboy said floating towards them, "and you better listen to our plan if want at least one chance to come out of this hellhole."

"You have to admit," spoke Jai for the first time, "that is not the help we would have expected Bart. Why couldn't you have also brought the League?"

Because they saw you as a risk and chose to abandon you, but how could he tell them that? They were the heroes they always dreamed of coming to their rescue someday.

"The League is handling another matter, but they trusted us with this," Tim said calmly, "the idea that you have of us is old. We are no longer sidekicks. We built the time machine that brought us here and we are staying until this is resolved."

"How do you plan to do that Tim Drake," spoke Damian with a tone Bart had never heard him use. It was as if he didn't like Tim at all.

"The Beetle of this time has indispensable information of the Reach bases," Tim started, "and now with him free I am sure he wants as much payback as you."

Said man started grunt as his eyes fluttered open.

"_Oh Dios,_ my head…" he said as he pulled his body to sitting. The whole room went quiet as they watched this.

"Are you okay?" Jaime was the first one to snap out of it and approached them.

"Is true then… you reprogrammed Khaji-Da," the man said looking at himself years ago. Though the Jaime of that time was fifty-six years old, he didn't look past forty. Later they would come to learn the scarabs tended to extend the prime of their hosts.

"Crashed it completely," Jaime told him, "and we want your help stopping the Reach."

The room was quiet once again.

The Jaime Reyes of that time gave a long sigh before looking around the room, his eyes also stopped on Alberto for a moment before looking at his younger self again.

"Then we are going to need more people," the Beetle declared, "we need to free the Metas."

"What are you talking about?" Lian asked as they were starting to understand.

"The Reach didn't choose this planet just because of its natural resources," the Beetle explained, "they also want whole control of the Metagene. For that they have captured as many Metas as possible."

"You mean the Metas are alive?" Jai asked his eyes wide and hopeful.

"Most of them in a cryogenic state, but yes," the Beetle said pulling himself to a stand and then took a better look at himself, "did any of you thought of getting me some clothes? I really don't want to parade around here in the armor or showing off my stuff."


	9. House Arrest

Kid Flash's Not so Easy Path 9

It was awkward at the highest level. The whole room was silent as the Jaime of that time dressed before them, not one bit bothered at actually been seen. His friend Blue was on the other hand was mortified.

"Kill me now," Jaime said covering his eyes as Lian tilted her head to get a better look at the older Jaime's behind.

"Much better," the Beetle said finally dressed in a blue jumpsuit. "As I was saying, the Reach has most of the Metahumans alive. They want the last speedster and if they do they will do away with the whole planet."

"What do you mean by that?" asked Damian with a dark frown. He seemed to already have an idea.

"You have given them a fight like no other planet, and though these forty years for them is a short time, they still don't see the need to trouble themselves anymore. Bart became a priority a few months ago and he did well in keeping a low profile. If he gets caught, you can be sure the planet will be dust in less than an hour," the Beetle concluded before the room entered a long silence.

Their plan had changed. With his return, he was placing everyone in danger. Still, he could see the chance presented before them. If they could rescue the other Meta-humans, they would be able to defeat the Reach with more ease. Then a thought crossed his mind. He turned to the tall man and was at a loss for words for a moment.

"Before you ask," the Beetle said turning to look at him with tired eyes, "I don't know if your family is still alive. The Reach didn't like me anywhere that place. There were too many familiar faces and that usually allowed me to crash," he said as he turned to face the rest of the council.

"We can't really trust you Jaime Reyes, not after all you have done," Arthur said keeping a stoic face.

"He didn't do anything! He was under their control," Bart said. He couldn't believe they were still going back to that. They all knew the Jaime of their time was under the Reach control unwillingly.

"It's alright kid," the Jaime of that time said placing a hand on his shoulder with a calm tone. "You guys can do whatever you want with me, but not without first freeing the rest. I will give you the coordinates of the place and the layout so you can free them," he said forming only the armor part of his arm from which a 3D layout of the base was.

"We also need to get the League," Bart spoke up remembering their original plan.

"The League is dead Bart, you know that," Jai said and Bart could tell for a moment they wondered if he was confused by which time he was at.

"They aren't," Superboy said, "I was in Rimbor when we were able to free the League in our age. They were not to be executed but placed in stasis as death was considered too good for them. They were all sentenced to stasis until their home planet died and then they would be executed."

"But how are we supposed to get to Rimbor to free them?" Lian asked crossing her arms, "we have tried leaving the planet if I must remind you Bart."

"That's where the Beetle would come in our plan. He has access to the Reach's ships," Tim said looking pointedly at the man who seemed surprised by their idea.

"So you were planning to bring the League back to defeat the Reach," Alberto said with raised eyebrows.

"Simply put, yes," Tim said.

"But don't you think the tribunals of Rimbor would look for them?" Damian said looking into all the loopholes in their plan.

"We have that all figured out, there is no need to worry," Bart told them.

"But I must disagree Bart," Jai said leaning back in his chair, "there is plenty to worry about. The council needs time to talk this through. Why don't you lead Mr. Reyes to the infirmary? Have the doctor check him over."

"Right," Bart said glancing at the both Jaimes.

As they walked, he couldn't help to wonder if he had indeed changed as much as the others insinuated. He recognized that he wasn't as much of a grump as he used to, and he smiled a little more, but only because he had become used to it after all that time. For them it had been only a few hours, so of course they would think he was different. They could no longer call him shrimp to start with. He knew his friends probably seemed different from what they know of them. For starters, Conner seemed to try to emanate as much confidence as possible and didn't stop short from showing he could fly. Hopeful, he guessed this would get some of their trust. Jaime tried to go without the helmet as much as possible to show them he was not a threat. This had little to no effect when the version of him from that time towered over most and always kept an unreadable expression. Tim was all business and he had to admit, he made a pretty good leader. He had never been gladder of requesting his help. Still, he was small compared to the rest of them. And he, well he tried to smooth the edges though he didn't think he was doing that well.

As they walked, he saw people scurry away. The moment they saw the Jaime of that time and his friend Blue they paled and ran. It was a miracle none of them had tried to point a gun at them yet. Two years ago that would have been the same thing he would have done. Finally, they arrived at the infirmary and as he suspected Jai wanted to truly test if the Beetle was free. There standing in a doctor's robe was Milagro. She was smiling at them like a mother would.

"_Hermano," _she said looking at the Jaime of that time, "we got so much to catch up on."

The Beetle was shocked but nodded before following his long not seen sister.

"Bart, you were assigned to barracks T-19. Get some rest, I will bring my brother over in a little while," she told them before leading the older Reyes to a private room.

"Was that?" his friend Blue asked still staring ahead with wide eyes.

"Best doctor we got," Bart told them as they went to look for their barracks. He didn't offer more. He really didn't know that much of what had been of Milagro's life since the start of the invasion. He knew their parents had been some of the first to join the rebellion. He guessed they had been looking for a chance to reach their son.

He navigated the halls of the base easily. Most would get lost a few times before getting the layout, but not him. He knew the place like the back of his hand from the first day. He found curious they were assigned to T-19. Those had been his barracks before he left. He spotted some of his things in boxes in the corner, just where he had left them. He always stayed on his own and farther from the entrance in case the base was discovered. It was to give him a chance to get others out and escape.

There were four bunk beds, but none of them felt like laying down. Instead, they talked about the new developments.

"Do you think they kept non Metas too?" Jaime asked.

"Not likely," Tim said pulling out his small computer and going over their plan. "Probably the moment they detected someone was not a Meta they disposed of them. Their interest is in the metagene, after all."

"But how come after forty years they haven't been able to break it down. I mean they are a super alien race of conquerors," Jaime said crossing his arms. "There has to be some other reason. If they already got your family wouldn't they have enough samples?"

"Well, we are not natural Metas," Bart said as he went to one of his boxes and opened it, "my grandfather got his powers from a freakish accident and so did Wally."

"Your powers come from the speed force," Tim said thinking out loud, "Is possible they are trying to find a way of how to tap into it."

"That would be so wrong," Bart said sitting on the ground with his box between his legs, "not even my grandfather knows yet all the speed force is capable of. It is just too powerful."

"You mean we are going to prioritize the Metas over the League?" Conner asked sitting on the ground, "If things go south the Reach will detonate the planet. The League will be essential if it comes to that."

"I agree," Tim said biting his lip. He looked at each one of them and was silent for a few minutes. When Bart was about to ask what they should do he spoke, "we have to break into two teams."

"There has to be another way," Conner said, "we can't split. We decided we would stick together in case of the worse."

Not that Superboy needed much protection, Bart thought. He knew his friend was just worried he would not be able to protect them.

"Let's talk it through," Jaime said leaning against the wall, "if we split up, what do you have in mind?"

"You and Bart would infiltrate the place where the Metas are kept and free them," Tim said looking at Bart. Bart already knew what he was going to say before he said it. Still, it didn't make it any easier to swallow. "He would be bringing you as a prisoner, and then you two will get the chance to free the rest."

"And let me guess, you would be going to Rimbor with Conner," Bart said, "which might be for nothing because if they really capture me, the planet will be turned to cosmic dust."

"That actually sounds sensible Bart," Jaime said before getting a glare from his friend, "we can't waste a minute. The moment the Reach hears the League is back they will try to do the same thing. We could distract them until they come back."

"You seem to forget it also depends if the council follows with our plan," Conner said leaning his head back against one of the beds. "They don't seem to trust as much as we had expected them."

"So what? We will do the same thing as before. We will go our own way and deal with it," Bart said as he brought out something out of his box. Tim recognized it immediately, "I even have a place we can operate from."

"How did you get that?" Tim asked taking it from him.

"Souvenir?" he said not really wanting to tell him Nightwing had left it with him a few days before his death. He had already told them there were things he didn't feel comfortable sharing with them.

Tim didn't say anything but handed the Batcave's entrance control back to him.

"Let's wait and see what the council says first," Jaime told them. He smirked at them, "I think you guys might just be looking for a chance to break the rules."

"We are getting good at it," Bart said as he climbed into the nearest bed. The rest did the same. They didn't know how long they would have to rest before they had to move. As his body finally relaxed somewhat to get some rest, the remains of his conscious mind kept reminding him of the possibilities. His father and his aunt might still be alive. Who knows how many more? Maybe even the Wally of that time and the rest of his kids. He had to at least save him here if he could. He turned on the bed one last time on bed. He owed it to him.

888

"Bart, wake up."

He opened his eyes and saw Robin's face.

"We have to grab the Beetle and go," Superboy said keeping his eyes closed, "I won't be able to hold them back for long."

He said before he stepped into the hall and saw they were under attack, but not of the Reach, but the rebellion.

"What in the world is going on?" Kid asked before hurrying to Blue, who was standing at the edge of Conner's barrier. He was facing Jai and seemed to be discussing with him.

"They don't trust me," Blue said not looking away from Jai, "they want to lock me up with the other Jaime."

"And how you know that makes it an even greater priority," Jai unflinching as Bart glared at him, "he is clearly a spy Bart. You see that, don't you?"

"I told you he is not under the League's control. He hasn't been for two years," he said to his cousin twice removed.

"He killed Richard, and your father and your aunt. You know he is-"

"I know you are full of crap! I demand to talk to the rest of the council! They couldn't have agreed to this," he wasn't going to listen to him talk about his friend like that.

"Fine, but how will you reach them if you are trapped inside that bubble," Jai said with a smirk.

"By doing something you could never do," he was not one for low blows but Jai really called for it. His whole body had vibrated before he went through the force field. He didn't wait to see Jai's expression. He knew he was pissed at being reminded that he was the only one of Wally's kids to lack a connection to the speed force. He sped around the base collecting all of the members of the council no matter what they were doing. Jai arrived on his own, his face flushed with fury. Bart was sure he would try to strike him down could he catch up with him.

Kid stood before the council. Some looked troubled and others were shameless of what they had done. He explained what they knew and waited for their response without giving away how they knew.

"Where is my mother Jai?" Alberto asked taking hold of Jai's collar.

"She is fine," Jai said dislodging Alberto's hands away easily and twisting one arm behind his back. "Now, stop blinding yourself with your link the enemy. You had never actually met the guy until today."

"That doesn't matter Jai," Lean said walking up to him and pointed a finger at his face. Bart couldn't help feeling admiration for her. They were cousins trained in very similar way. Jai had a physic equal to that of Sport's master while Lean resembled her mother's light form. Still she stood before this man as an equal. Lean was bolder and braver than Jai would ever hope to be. "You went behind our backs and did this. We are a council for a reason."

"I agreed to the plan as well," Damian said.

"So did I," Arthur said, "that is already majority of vote Lean."

Alberto and Lian looked authentically hurt at realizing they had been betrayed by the people they had been fighting alongside for so long. Something even he could understand at his young age was that comrades were crucial in their times. You had to trust those watching your back if you couldn't then who? He hoped they were doing the right thing because he could tell the alliance of the rebellion was close to being over. If this indeed happened and they failed, that would mean their complete end.

Lean and Alberto went to stand by his side. He knew they were people to be trusted and they knew they could trust him. They had seen him in his darkest moments and knew his intentions were sincere.

"What are you planning to do with him?" Bart asked them. "He is our only way to save the League. We need his complete cooperation."

"Keep him here until we free the Metas," Jai said, "and then execute him for his crimes against humanity. Then, if our resources allow it, we will go to the League, but not before. We have fought this battle for too long Bart."

"But you know he didn't do any of that willingly," Alberto said protesting on behalf of his uncle.

"We all have lost too much Jai," Lean said grasping her bow tighter. Damian was not shy of placing his hand on top of his sword's hilt. "And if we can get our greatest heroes back we should. You know the Reach won't take it just like that if we beat them back. They will come back with more troops. We will need the League for that time."

But even though Lean made a good argument he could already tell the rest were not willing to listen. Too many years of battle against the Beetle had them set in their ways. Or maybe it was just revenge? He knew the Beetle had killed many as the front of the invasion. He wouldn't be surprised if each one of them lost at least one dear person to him. But the Beetle, at least how they knew him was no more. Now he was Jaime Reyes, a victim just like the rest.

"Kid," Lean said after a long silence between them. "We will help you however we can. We will provide all the resources at our disposal. Right Al?"

"You bet," Alberto never said stopping to glare at Jai.

"They are only children," Arthur said being the only one to show worry at what this meant. Unlike Jai and Damian, he didn't allow his pride to get in the way of his reasoning. Lean had many loyal followers, and Alberto was indispensable in the manufacture of their weaponry and tactics.

"We are not just children," Bart said holding his head high, "you know, it was not the League that stopped the invasion when I went back in time, but the Team of which we were part of. We did it once, and we will do it again."

Before they could argue, Bart took them both and left. The whole while Robin had been communicating with him; Superboy was getting of holding the force field.

"I think I am going to be sick," Alberto when he stopped for a moment.

"So what now?" Lian asked looking in the direction the T-19 barracks were located.

"We get the Beetle and ourselves out of here," Kid Flash told them.

"He is probably in the Blue Room," Lian said with a frown. The Blue Room was a place they had created in case they were ever able to capture the Beetle. It was impossible to break in or out of it.

"This is not going to be easy at all," Alberto said but Kid Flash could already see the wheels of his mind turning. He designed the room, after all.

"Just leave it to us," Kid told them before taking hold of them again.

"Oh no," Al said before closing his eyes tightly.

Superboy lowered the barrier for a fraction of a second to allow them inside. Bart didn't waste a moment to explain to them where the Beetle was.

"I don't think we can get him out," Jaime said before they spotted a small blue insect land on his hand.

"What is that?" Lean asked with wide eyes as the insect was absorbed into the palm of his hand.

"Is a trick the Beetle taught me," Blue said with a smirk.

"You met like for a few minutes," Alberto said watching as a new insect was generated on his hand. He was terrified at what he saw but also was dying to find out how he did it.

"The reach taught my armor some new tricks. But anyways, we have been communicating with them; that's how I know he was locked up and also where Milagro is," Blue said the last part to Alberto.

"Is she okay?" he asked immediately.

"Lucky for them she wasn't hurt when they placed her in what seems to be a jail in the lowest levels of this place," Jaime told him.

"But what do you mean we can't get him out," Bart said. He was already planning on vibrating his molecules.

"Whoever built that room knew what he was doing," Blue sighed, "there isn't even a circuit nearby that he can hack into."

"Sorry," Alberto said flinching.

"Don't be, you were doing it for a good reason. But there has to be a way," Lean said looking back at the fighters firing relentlessly at the barrier.

"I know how," Robin said before glancing at Conner, who nodded at him, "but is not going to be pretty."

888

Bart found Milagro quickly. She didn't look worried as she stood from the small bed and then faced him looking older than he could ever remember.

"What have they done to my son and brother?" she said in a tense tone.

"Al is with us, and we are breaking your brother out of here. You are coming with us too, of course," he said taking hold of the bars and then shaking them so fast the screws and bolts came out. Milagro stepped out offering him a calmer smile. She had been expecting the worse. He realized that was the same mentality he had years before.

"I will slow you down," she said, "leave without me, I will find my own way."

"If I must remind you, the two versions of your brother will skin me alive if I even dare think about it,"

"He was a very protective brother,"

"Let's go," he said picking her up in his arms, "close your eyes or you might feel sick."

He made it back to where the barracks. All around the fighters were knocked unconscious and bruised. He could tell his friends held back as much as they could. As they got closer to the exit, the number of those unconscious just kept on growing. Soon it seemed that the whole base had turned against them. When he finally made it to the exit, he found Lian and Jai facing each other. He held a gun pointed at her while she held her red bow with her last arrow pointed at him.

"You will get us all killed!" Jai shouted. He was clearly unsure about shooting his cousin. Bart could almost see Artemis and Jade in them, but in a very twisted way.

"We are done hiding like mice in this whole Jai," Lean said before releasing the arrow without regret.

"AHHH!" Jai screamed as he dropped the gun and stared at his palm pierced by the arrow.

"Don't stand in our way Jai, or next arrow will go between your eyes," she said raising her bow and then hitting him on the head. He had fallen to the ground unconscious before she turned to give him a curious look, "what are you waiting for?"

"Right," they ran outside where the last of the rebellion laid on the ground unconscious. "Wow," he also saw not the whole rebellion had been against them. Countless people were standing with his friends.

He spotted Superboy and Robin walking away from the rest. He, like everyone else, watched with wide eyes as Superboy floated high and clawed his hand in the air as if grabbing something. The earth started to shake before it opened as if cut with a giant knife. They were in awe as a box of concrete was pulled out. It was the Blue Room.

"Here," Robin said pointing to a spot where Superboy lowered the box. He then stood at the top of it before his eyes started glowing red.

"Stand back," he told them before he raised his fist and began punching said box. The earth trembled with each hit as the concrete gave away to a metal.

"But that's pure Carbyne," he heard someone say, but they already knew this. In the past just creating a bit of that metal was almost impossible, but they had found the way to mass produce it in their time. It was something the rebellion was very proud of. Their armors and weapons were made of the stuff. The molecules of this metal were so densely packed that it was impossible to vibrate his molecules through it, but not strong enough to stop Superboy. Once the metal was revealed, he placed his palms on top of it and closed his eyes.

"I will take the fighters to the site and the rest to the cave," Lean said showing him she still had the control to the Bat-cave. "You sure about this?"

"We really don't have a choice, do we?" he said with a smirk, "is all or nothing now."

He knew she was staring at him as if he had lost his mind. They were splitting the rebellion in two and breaking the Beetle out at that. How could he be smiling? He asked himself the same thing as he watched a red aura surround Superboy. He was putting all his concentration into this.

"Ghaa!" Superboy shouted as his eyes snapped open. They were glowing red and for a moment he thought he would be using heat vision, but there was no need. A moment later the Carbyne split open and the Beetle flew out in full armor. He turned to face them and with a sneer. People shook as try held their weapons ready to shoot.

"Jaime, are you okay?" someone called in the crowd. He then saw Milagro rush towards his brother. His face immediately returned to its unreadable expression before landing before her. He removed his helmet and smirked at her, "I should be the one asking that."

There was a shared feeling of relief as they watched the siblings fret over each other.

"We have to get going," Lean said before looking at the people they had opposed.

"Leave it to me," Bart said before he started pulling people inside. Even though they didn't agree with what they were doing, they couldn't leave them outside exposed like that. Soon others joined to help while Superboy used his powers again to cover the whole the pulling of the box had created.

People started going for their vehicles stashed in an underground part of the base before they started setting off into two different directions. His friends, the Beetle and he met in the middle of everyone moving.

"You two get out of there if things get out of hand," Conner told them. He rubbed the back of his head unsure of what to tell them.

"You know who to start if they are there," Robin told them. "We will get back as soon as we can."

"You need to bulk up some more," the Beetle told Jaime before placing a hand on his shoulder. It shone for a moment before Jaime's armor changed bulking him up until he had the same physique as the Beetle. He covered his face with his helmet. "Remember you are the Blue Beetle, and no one can question you. Even the chancellor has grown to respect you."

"Understood," Blue said mimicking the Beetle's voice perfectly. "Get moving slave," he said glaring at Bart, "this is so wrong…"

Bart could only nod. When he first Jaime in the past, he could hardly believe he was the Beetle he had feared most of his life. He was a kid just like him with insecurities and issues. It was only because of that he believed he could be saved and the Reach defeated at the same time. Part of him back then had been willing to sacrifice him. But then they became friends when he was just trying to gain his trust. He never really had a friend close to his age until they met and he didn't want to let go of that. His life was such a joke, he thought as his friend tried to mimic the same unreadable expression of the other Beetle, but with a hint of cruelty.

"It is," the Beetle said looking downcast. He met Bart's eyes and a flash of pain showed in his face. Bart knew what he was thinking, or remembering. He had killed Nightwing before his own eyes. Bart wondered how many of his friends he had seen die before his eyes. It was a miracle he hadn't lost his mind those past forty years.

Without another word, they went their separate ways. Once he and Blue were only a few miles from the Base where the Metas were kept they stopped.

"Is now or never _hermano_," Blue told him keeping his eyes ahead.

"Just make it fast," Kid Flash said him closing his eyes.

"I am very sorry," he said before Bart felt the blow to the head and lost consciousness.

8888

For what happens next don't miss

_**Becoming Superboy 16 **_&amp; _**The Flight of the Blue Beetle 13**_


	10. Family Reunion

Kid Flash's Not so Easy Path 10

He felt his world was splitting apart. His thoughts were running all over the place as he thought of every possibility available. He wished he could go faster, but M'gann was the one leading them down the long halls of the Reach base. They had infiltrated the base just as planned. He was unconscious the whole while as to not raise any suspicion. His teammate was able to free the Metas. Now they were wreaking havoc through the entire base as they made their way out to join the great war started forty years ago. He didn't need to read their minds to know they were furious as they pummeled through walls of Reach soldiers armed to the teeth. But, these were Meta Humans, not the desperate human soldiers they were used to. They had been cheated of forty years and most of their loved ones. They were out for the blood of the Reach. The walls shook with their screams and the screams of those unfortunate to cross their path. He would stop to enjoy the sight if he weren't looking for his family. Every pod he had opened he had hoped to find his father but not him, his aunt, or cousins were in them.

"Here," she said stopping before a door after what felt an eternity.

Blue placed his hand on a panel and forced the door to open. He watched in horror as some of the guards were pushing a pod through a white gate. The pod disappeared and with it his breath. He expected the worse but then the Reach soldiers jumped through and he knew it led somewhere. Without wasting a moment, he jumped through followed closely by Blue and Miss Martian. He knew he had made a mistake the moment he went through as he tried to take a breath.

"Oh no," he heard M'gann say before he turned and saw the gate shut off. Oh no, was more than appropriate as he started his lungs burn as they sought the tiniest bit of air.

"Here!" Blue handed him a mask. He didn't know where he got it from or why it resembled his armor and put it on immediately.

"Where are we?" M'gann said looking out a window. The expansiveness of space met them with a silent glare. The constellations were entirely different from what they knew.

"The Reach headquarters," Blue told them tilting his head slightly, something he usually did when listening to the scarab "they believe the speed force is the key to time travel."

"And my family the batteries," he said feeling light-headed. The idea of the Reach being able to time travel really scared him. They wouldn't be bounded by the rules they were. With so much power at their disposal, they could just go back to the beginnings of time and shape the universe to their image; a world of pure enslavement and fear.

"Take deep breaths," M'gann said placing a hand on his shoulder, "we are going to find them. They couldn't have gone far." Her eyes started to glow as she began to search again.

Bart could feel time piling on top of him with every second. At any moment, they could be going through another gate and out of their reach.

"Follow me," she said before flying faster through the halls. Dozen after dozen of soldiers appeared before them. Blue blasted them away with his sonic cannon. Those who remained standing were soon taken down as their brains were overwhelmed by Miss Martian. He had the satisfaction to punch some across the jaw and slam the gun of another on top of their heads as they tried to reach for them. Every Reach soldier they found was beaten fast as they attempted to find his family. He heart faltered when they made it to a circular chamber. Five pods lay against the wall and in front of them was the Black Beetle.

The monstrous Reach soldier dared to smile at them. He sensed Blue tense preparing for anything the Black Beetle might throw their way.

"Khaji Da, you have failed once again," the Black Beetle said drawing his energy cannon. "This time I will eliminate you and I will enjoy it."

"Hurry _hermano¸_I will stall him for as long as I can," Blue said before launching at the other Beetle.

He went to his father's pod first.

"Bart wait! Something isn't right!" Miss Martian shouted, but it was too late. He opened his father's pod. Dan Allen looked exactly the same as when he had last seen his son. He looked a lot like his own father; Barry though his hair was a little longer.

"Hahahaha…" he could hear the Black Beetle laughing, but all sound went off when his father opened his eyes and looked at him for the first time in seven years, nine to Bart. For a moment, he thought his father did just not understand that he was the same little kid he had left so long ago but now as an almost fifteen-year-old.

"Dad?" he said with a shaky smile.

Dan Allen said something under his breath. Bart heard him, but it couldn't be right.

"Kill me," Dan repeated before a black substance like tar started crawling over his body. Bart jumped back horrified and watched as his father became encased in a Reach ruby red armor.

He shouted as the Red Beetle stepped out of the pod.

"Directives in line?" Black Beetle questioned as they stood frozen in horror.

"Directives fully functional," the Red Beetle spoke before looking at Bart, "priority Bart Allen, capture."

He reached for Bart, who couldn't move for a nanosecond. The moment the encased hand was an inch from his neck he sped to stand next to M'gann.

"Can you free him?" he asked her.

"I am trying, but they placed psychic walls on him. I know is not easy Bart, but I need you to distract him," M'gann said before she was thrown back by a heated blast, and the again, and again. The scent of burned flesh reached him immediately.

Blue tried tackling Black to make him stop, but the Reach soldier just swung him like a rag doll and slammed him against a wall. Bart attempted to pull Miss Martian out of the way, but it was too late. The last hit landed square on her head. The back of her head hit a wall and she fell unmoving. Thick blood started pooling around her head.

"I never liked Martians," Black Beetle said still wielding his cannon.

Bart rushed to her side and checked for any sign of life but found none. He didn't even get a moment to grieve before he heard his father's voice.

"Khaji Da," the Red Beetle was holding his friend by the throat and crushing it, "deemed obsolete. Operative; dispose."

"Nothing like a new soldier," Black Beetle said with a smirk.

Bart watched as Blue kicked and clawed at the hand. Blue pointed his sonic blaster at the Red Beetle's chest but a flash later he found his arm twisted at an odd angle.

"AHHHH!" Jaime screamed in pain as his armor tried to undo the damage as fast as possible.

"Stop!" Bart tackled his father and Blue fell to the ground holding his arm. "Dad! I know you are in there! Please snap out of it!"

He punched him as fast as he dared not giving him a chance to retaliate. Maybe if he tired him, his father would get an opportunity to break free.

"Host is fully subdued," the Red Beetle said before landing a punch to his face without flinching.

Bart heard his air mask crack. Another hit like that and he would suffocate. He landed near Miss Martian's body. She had returned by then to her original form. She was gone.

"Ahhh!" he heard Jaime scream. The Black Beetle was holding him by his arms as his father pulled and tore at the scarab on Jaime's back. The metallic bits and pieces fell to the ground ringing like thunder in his ears.

"You are now relieved of your duties Khaji Da," the Red Beetle said before grasping on the part of the scarab infused into Jaime's spine.

"No…" but he could only watch as a fraction of a second later the blue scarab laid on the ground still attached to a part of Jaime's spine. Jaime didn't scream anymore. His face was turned up in a silent scream. His eyes had rolled back in its sockets.

"Milagro…" was all he could say before his body went limp. The Reach armor started falling apart around his body until there was only the young man once known as Jaime Reyes.

"Capture the boy," the Black Beetle said before throwing Jaime's body at him. He was ready to catch him but was tackled by the other speedster. Jaime's body landed on top of Miss Martian with a sickening wet sound. He tried to vibrate himself out of his father's hold, but his father matched his vibrations as he carried him by the throat to the pot he used to lay on.

"Please don't," he begged and kicked as much as he could.

"Today just isn't your day boy," the Black Beetle said as he entered a code on the pot. The Reach soldier smiled at him cruelly, "but look at the Brightside; tomorrow you will join your father in battle as another loyal Reach soldier."

When he heard those words, he was ready to give up. He had lost his friends and family. There was no other reason for him to go on.

_Good for one rainy day…_

Bart froze and stopped struggling. With his free hand, he reached into the side of his belt where he kept the pocket watch Constantine had given him. He opened it. Time froze. There was a small note inside.

_It better be flooding kid._

He thought back to the moment where it went wrong for them. The next thing he knew he was standing at the entrance of the chamber with Jaime and M'gann. The Black Beetle was smirking at them waiting for him to fall into his trap. Not this time.

"The three of us together," he told them before they launched at the Black Beetle. He hit the monster with all his strength creating dents in his armor again and again. This monster had turned his father into one of them. Made him kill his best friend and also tried to turn him into a monster too. He had never hated someone so much in his life. He would make sure he never hurt another soul ever again.

"Bart, stop" he turned ready to punch whoever dared stop him. Jaime stared at him worried, "_hermano, _he is out."

Blue and Miss Martian could barely get a hit in. Bart had attacked the Black Beetle with so much fury they had only seen flashes as he pummeled him unconscious. His already healing fists were covered with his own blood. Bart jumped back and saw what he had done.

"It's okay now," Miss Martian placed a hand on his shoulder. He almost had shouted his thoughts and feelings to any telepath to hear. He could have collapsed then, but there was plenty to be done. He watched as Jaime tapped into the Black Beetle and without any resistance destroyed the scarab. The alien remained unconscious on the ground and would surely not be happy when he woke up.

"Let's wake them up," Jaime said approaching one.

"No!" shouted the other two.

"I mean," Miss Martian started, "some of them have scarabs on them."

"Oh!" Blue stood back, "Speedsters and Beetles, that's one scary combination."

"Tell me about it," Bart muttered.

"That woman doesn't have them," Miss Martian said before Bart approached his aunt, Dawn. He opened the pod with an air mask ready for her. Her eyes had fluttered open before she stumbled forwards. He watched in awe as a pair of bionic legs completed her once more; one running from the middle of her thigh and the other from her knee down.

"Bart?" she asked recognizing him immediately. Last time she had seen him he had been a boy of nine years of age.

"I got you aunt dawn," he said as he helped her regain her balance. Then she spotted the Blue Beetle. Her eyes went wide with panic as her last memories came back to her. "Its fine, I promise," he said keeping her from fleeing. "That's the Jaime Reyes from the past. Not that the one from this time is under the Reach's control is any longer, but you get my point, right?"

"I guess," she said pulling herself away from her nephew and walking up to Jaime. She studied him realizing he did look different from her last memory of him.

"Ehm, hello?" Jaime said warily of the woman.

"You better not try anything, or I will rip your legs off like you tore mine," she sneered at him.

"Rip my legs off, got it," Jaime said stepping back.

Bart explained to her where they were and what they were trying to do. Dawn looked hurt at hearing her brother and rest of the family had scarabs on them. Even little Iris had one. She knew it would tear Jai to hear his twin had that thing attached to her.

They pushed the capsules through the halls once again flooded with Reach soldiers. They finally made it to the gate where Blue Beetle started working on activating it again.

"Can we really trust him?" his aunt Dawn asked.

"Absolutely," Bart told her with a confident smile.

"Let's go_,"_ Jaime said as the gate came into life.

They crossed the gate back to Earth where the fight was still going. As they left the main base, they saw the great battle going on outside. The rebellion and the Metas were fighting alongside each other and beating back the Reach into their ships if they could still move.

"No," he saw his aunt looking up and they spotted countless mother ships in the sky.

"What is that?" Miss Martian said holding her head in pain. Her form rippled as her eyes turned red.

"They are back!" Blue had shouted before Bart spotted a small ship racing ahead of the others. The machine didn't even get a chance to land before it exploded from the blast of one of the ships. Wrapped in a green bubble of light were the Justice League and their friends, plus Damian.

He watched as the League and Conner launched a relentless attack against the mother ships. They tore through them like paper all the while giving screams of war. They were all furious for what the Reach had done and took it out on them.

"Where is the camp?" Dawn asked him reminding him they still had to get their family to safety.

"Leave that to us," Miss Martian said still cringing a little as she watched the Superboy of their time fly and tear through the ships.

"We will join you as soon as we can," Blue said as his wings and the pincers around his torso extended until they could hold two pots at the top of each other.

"I don't think so," Dawn said readily to start a fight with Jaime.

"Let them," Bart told her pulling her back and saying close to her face. He realized they were at eye level.

"We just got them back Bart," she said pulling her arm free.

"You think I don't know that?" he turned to Jaime, "take them and try to get those things off them."

"You got it," Blue told him before he took off flying closely followed by Miss Martian.

"How could you?" she asked him.

"They will be okay," he said trying to keep his temper under control. "Let's go help." He took off before she could say anything else. He raced through the crowds saving anyone who was too close to death. He carried injured on his back and to the field medics. He ran faster than he ever had before in his life.

"Bart!" he stopped for a second before spotting Lian trying to fight off a soldier who had her in a choke hold. He graved a gun lying nearby and hit the soldier across the head. As soon as it released her he shot it in the chest. He was running again even before she could thank him. He ran between bloodied and injured bodies trying to save as many lives as possible. Eventually, even the field medics were overwhelmed. He took it upon himself to take the wounded directly to their camp already full of injured fighters. He spotted Blue leaving a tent. His face was grim.

"Are they?" he found choking on his own words.

"They are still sleeping," Blue told him opening the flap so he could see his family. They lay on beds with gas masks over their faces. "I can't remove them."

"Why?" he stepped in scared out of his mind. Had he used the pocket watch at the wrong time? No, it had been right. The idea of losing such dear friends was just as bad. He realized then that the note in the watch was the warning to a rather unusual curse. He would always wonder if he made the right choice.

"The Reach wanted to make sure that if anyone tried to remove the scarabs…" his friend didn't need to finish. The Reach would never allow them to be free, not without giving up everything else.

"Can you reprogram them?" that was his last hope.

"I already have," Jaime admitted with a small smile though not as confident as Bart wished it was, "but I asked Milagro to keep them like this a while longer. Their scarabs are different from mine in many ways."

"You think then it might not work," he said what his friend didn't dare say.

"We need a telepath to know for sure," and Miss Martian had left for the battle as soon as they had landed the pots, "what now?"

"I guess we go back to the fight," Bart said readying his already worn out body.

"Sorry, not you. Khaji Da," he said tilting his head, "the Magnetic Field Disruptors. They were just activated."

"We have to get the others!" Bart saw Wally laying unconscious and felt his insides shake with horror. What if they lost someone again?

"But what about the fight?" Even though they were miles away, they could still hear the war.

"We will take over," Jai said stepping into the tent alongside Arthur.

"Jai? What are you doing here?" Bart couldn't help sneering.

"We are fighting for the same planet Bart," then Jai stepped closer to the little girl, "Iris, she is alive."

"Don't even think about waking her up," Bart told him. "Join the rest as soon as you can. We need to do this as fast as possible."

Bart felt his lungs burn as he retrieved one Meta after another. By then the Atlantean forces and the rest of the rebellion had joined the battle. He pulled the whole League, Superboy and anyone who could reach fast speeds. Blue in the meanwhile worked on creating the needed Reach-tech eggs and loading them with the virus Lex Luthor had created years ago. He couldn't believe the maniac was still helping them even in this time.

"We are more than last time," Blue told him, "we should make it in time."

"I will go first," Bart told him taking one of the eggs and running off before anyone could ask him where he was going.

He knew he didn't need to explain to his friends. He went to the Magnetic Field Disruptor that killed Wally. He smashed through the drones without thought before planting the egg and watched as the machine went offline. A breath of relief escaped his lips before going back to get more eggs. He knew the place where all the Disruptors were located. He had memorized them after Wally's death as he wondered if there was something he could have done to stop it.

"You are Barry's grandson?" he turned his head to look at no other than Superman flying next to him at super speed.

"Surprise," he said with a small smirk before they arrived at the next Disruptor. Superman had eliminated the guarding drones with his heat vision in a few seconds before Bart planted the egg.

"It's an honor," the man of steel said, "Conner told me what you did in his time. Your grandfather must be very proud of you."

"I…" Bart didn't know what to say for a moment. Then, he remembered what they needed to do. "Thanks, there is another one that way." And he was off again followed closely by the man of steel.

The sun had gone down by the time he was back at the camp to retrieve more eggs.

"There are no more eggs," Jaime told him as he dragged a Reach soldier into a tent. Bart followed him also curious as to what was going on. "All Disruptors have been disabled."

"Oh," was all he could say before his knees gave up under him.

"You okay?" Blue turned his head but kept a firm hold on the Reach soldier.

"Yeah," he said giving his best goofy smile, "just happy."

The Reach soldier said something he couldn't understand before his friend punched it in the gut. Blue shouted something at him in the alien language that sounded a lot like a threat.

The soldier only crackled.

"You can stay if you want," his friend said this time without looking at him, "but this is going to be ugly."

"What in life isn't?" he said before Blue's fingers turned into sharp claws with red tips which shone like heated iron. "You have made your point," he said before leaving the tent. A few moments later the screams of the Reach soldier could be heard.

"Blue is in there?" he turned and saw Superboy and Robin walking towards him.

"Interrogating a Reach soldier," he explained to them as more alien screams reached their ears.

"That's not like him," Robin said with a worried look.

"And useless," Bart told him, "Reach soldiers are extremely loyal. It's not going to say anything. But what happened? Why are you back?"

"They are retreating," Robin told him but his expression remained grim. "At first we believed it was because the Disruptors were disabled, but I think there might be more to it. Blue probably thinks so too." Robin looked back at the tent where the screams continued.

More and more fighters arrived at the camp and to its edges. Metas, rebellion combatants, anyone who could still stand helped getting people settled, fed and healed. He would have gone take a nap, but his body was too wired to do so and the same was for his friends. He retrieved and passed out foods and medicines. Superboy moved those too exhausted or injured to beds. Robin had enough medical knowledge to help with external wounds. Blue was gone for a long time after leaving the tent and the Reach soldier to the rebellion leader. Later he heard he had gone to the battlefield to help retrieve the fallen.

"Gone… all gone," he heard Batman as he stood by one of the many fires around. He pulled his cowl off to reveal the haunted man behind it. Wonder Woman and Superman, who were standing by his sides, shared a look of worry. The rest of the League and the Team, which remained couldn't bring themselves to say anything. They had lost many dear friends without knowing.

"Not all of them," Robin said removing his mask as he walked up to his mentor before pointing at Damian, who was talking to the other rebellion leaders.

Damian froze before mouthing 'no' at Tim, but the teen merely smirked.

"Who is that?" asked Superman as he watched Batman's anguish expression become confused. There was something definitely odd now that he saw the Dark Knight without his cowl.

"Talia's son," Tim said as if he was announcing the weather, "and yours."

Damian faced palmed as just about everyone stared at him with open mouths.

"Wha-" Bart almost screamed before Superboy covered his mouth.

"I know," Superboy told him with a smirk. "But it sort of makes sense when you think about it."

"I guess," Bart said.

"I knew there was a good reason not to like you," Damian said walking towards them. Robin raised his hands as in defeat as he stood back. Damian stood next to his father; now looking at them side by side it was hard to deny the truth. They all turned away when Damian glared at them. Many thought he could do with a cowl of his own. Superman, Wonder Woman, left their side to give them some privacy.

Bart wished he knew what they were saying, but they made sure to speak as quietly as possible. Damian had to be a bat, he just had to. Richard probably knew but probably kept it secret because he knew how dangerous the man could be. He was already a well-respected leader. If it were found before who his father was, he would have a greater pull than the rest of the leaders. Why Damian didn't use that card? He wondered as the man lowered his eyes unable to meet his father's eyes. He recognized the anger burning away at him from the first moment they met. However, he didn't expect the sadness until then. How could he call himself Batman's son if he had never met him?

"Well, that's one interesting piece of information to bring with us," Blue said shocked as much as him as he returned from one of the trips to the Battlefield.

"Did they get anything from that soldier?" Robin asked looking at the tent where some of the rebellion fighters had entered to interrogate the Reach soldier.

"He just keeps saying we should enjoy this while it lasts, but as what is coming next? _Nada," _Blue said with a sigh.

"I think I know what it is," Superboy said as he was looking up at the sky. Though far Bart could see it also; in the sky the air rippled before a sort of gate was open and out of it came a new fleet of ships and what seemed to be a gigantic sphere.

"If that's a bomb…" he started to say as its center began to shine red.

"Is just as bad," Blue told them with wide eyes, "is called the World Destroyer."

"Cute," Superboy said rising in the air. His eyes shone red as he prepared himself.

"It launches powerful blasts which can pierce whole planets; you can guess what happens next," Blue said forming cannons on his hand as his wings opened.

"How can we stop it?" Robin asked as his own metallic red wings expanded.

"We can't if is completed loaded. Its own destruction could mean ours," Blue said as his chest generated a projector of the plans of the sphere.

"Blue?" that wasn't what he wanted to hear.

Blue shook his shock off before showing them the sphere had no weak point but the opening of its blast. The rest of the able fighters joined to look at the plans.

"That seems simple enough," Hawkman said as he readied a sword found in the battle.

"It's never simple," Bart said as he spotted a swarm leaving one the ships "look!"

And they saw the Reach would not let their most powerful weapon be destroyed so quickly. Around it flew a swarm of a least a hundred scarab Reach soldiers.


	11. Leaving the Future Behind

Kid Flash's Not so Easy Path 11

"That was too close!" he said as he held to Superboy's back for dear life. Speedsters were not big fans of flying, especially if it was among a swarm of Reach Beetle soldiers and Meta Humans in battle. He looked ahead where Robin and Blue were clearing a path for them towards the immense black sphere of death. It sort of reminded him of a movie his friends had made him watch. He doubted it was the right time to call it Death Star among those who were fighting for the survival of their planet.

The League, the Team, and the strongest fighters of the rebellion were with them. Those who couldn't fly were carried in the same way he was. They all landed at the heating entrance of the Armageddon weapon.

"I will hold them back," Superboy told them as he stood by the entrance. He created a force field at the opening of the sphere. Immediately Reach soldiers launched at it but the boy of steel stood his ground.

"Not alone," the Green Lantern said projecting a barrier too.

"The core is in the center," Blue said showing them the plans of the sphere. At once they raced and tore their way through. He ran ahead of his friends and everyone else to prepare them for what they would find. The heroes of his time fought as they tore as much as they could of the gigantic sphere. There were scarabs inside as well and that was where their friend Blue came in. He and Robin defended their friend Blue as he concentrated on re-programing the other scarabs. One after another was cured, but he could see the toll that it took on his friend. He seemed more haunted every time he freed another scarab. He wished he could stop for a moment without putting their lives at risk to ask if he were okay.

"I am fine," Blue said as he flew straight at another scarab and tackled it against a wall before starting the process all over again. So much for worrying about him.

It had taken them little to no time to realize they were free. Moments later they were taking their vengeance on the Reach. Around them, the freed scarabs fought and destroyed as much as they could as they made their way to the power core. Somehow they made it ahead of everyone else. They made it to the power core where what seemed to a small sun shone brighter and brighter. The doors snapped behind them and he realized they had fallen into a trap. Standing by the controls was no other than the chancellor and the scientist that had been studying the Meta Humans. The moment she spotted Blue she sneered at him. He had to ask him later what that was about.

"Don't even bother trying accessing the controls Khaji Da," the chancellor said with a smirk, "your scarab is so obsolete it wouldn't even know where to start."

"Some models never go out of fashion," Jaime said proudly as they heard the other scarabs trying to break their way in, "and I am not the only one who thinks so."

"You lost," Tim said stepping forwards "turn yourselves in."

"You are still children. Do you really think giving up is really an option," the scientist said before getting glare from the chancellor.

"We do this for a greater purpose," the chancellor said, "you should understand that Khaji Da."

"I don't," Jaime said pointing his cannon at them.

"Have it your way. It will be a few minutes now," the chancellor said.

"Enough for…me?" Bart felt he was falling. He looked up and saw the Destroyer was getting farther and farther away.

"Got you!" Red Robin said taking his hand and lifting them to fly by the entrance of the Destroyer. The heat was so great that even Superboy couldn't stand it anymore. He found they were not the only ones transported out. It seemed the Reach wanted to destroy their enemies morally even in the end. All those who had been fighting inside were now out. They could have done this whenever they wanted, but first had wanted them to believe they had a chance and then crush them.

"We lost…" Blue said looking horrified as the Reach soldiers started to retreat. They knew there was no more point in fighting. The death machine would be fully loaded in a few moments. They couldn't make it back inside fast enough, and even if they did they might just get transported out again..

"Khaji Da!"

"Khaji Da!"

"Khaji Da!"

They didn't know where the shout came from until they spotted a green star getting closer at incredible speed.

"No way," Superboy said amazed just as the rest of them as the complete corps of the Green Lanterns arrived accompanied by countless scarabs. At the front of the group was no other than the Beetle of that time. From what he had heard from Robin, the Beetle had stayed back to hold back some of the Reach forces. He had thought he was stranded but now saw he had gone to search for allies.

The Green Lanterns didn't waste a moment to capture the enemy scarabs as the Beetle and the allied scarabs surrounded the giant sphere. But they weren't attacking. Instead, the pincers on their backs expanded before they started to generate a charge that linked them together. A cage of blue energy began to surround the Destroyer. He wasn't sure what they were trying to do, but they didn't have any other options.

"The Bleed?" he heard Jaime ask as he went over the information the Beetle of that time shared with him. "We can do that?"

"Do what?" Tim asked.

"No time to explain," Blue said as he flew to join the rest of the scarabs. He flew right next to his older self and mimicked what they were doing.

"Stand back," the Lanterns created a sphere around the Destroyer and the Beetles. If things came to worse, they would try to shield the Earth as much as possible.

They watched as the surge of energy increased among the Beetles until they could no longer look at them directly, and just as soon as it had started it was over. The Destroyer was gone.

"Hold it!" shouted Jaime before the Destroyer appeared again but it was no longer about to fire. It actually seemed that it already had, but that didn't make sense. Actually, most of the things that happened after didn't make sense. The Lanterns were not affected by the Reach's transporters so they had no trouble retrieving the chancellor and the scientist. That would have been useful to know before they left John to guard the entrance with Superboy.

The Beetle, Blue, and the other freed scarabs made sure to release the rest of the scarabs under the control of the Reach. The Beetles communicated through the Reach's language or through their scarabs so he didn't get much of what had actually happened.

When he finally touched land, he rushed to where the Lanterns and Beetles were talking. He was about to take someone, anyone and shake them until they told him what was happening.

"Wow there," Jaime said pulling him back, "what do you think you are doing?"

"Find out what happened, because it seems someone forgot we don't all have scarabs," he said watching as his friend scratched the back of his head.

"Sorry about that, it was just a lot of information to take in at once. I really never thought I could do something like that," Jaime said looking uncomfortable.

"What exactly did you do?" Bart asked.

"Let's get the rest. I am not explaining this twice," he said before he flew towards where their friends were talking to the remaining members of the Team of that time.

"This is just weird," Beast Boy said as two Superboys faced each other.

"Tell me about it," said the Superboy of that time, "tights? Really?"

"They are not tights," their friend said in his defense, "this suits helps me control my powers. I would recommend you to get yourself ready for when yours wake up."

"And I thought you were irritating before," Lagoon Boy said crossing his arms.

"What will you do now?" M'gann asked them as he and Blue joined them.

"We are not leaving until we make sure Bart's family is okay," Tim said before glancing at his friends, "and also not without an explanation of what happened."

"Well then, did we arrive in the right, time didn't we?" Bart said giving his friend a push.

"Really?" Jaime had told before he sighed, "fine. In the search of how to time travel the Reach found something close to it called the Bleed."

"The Reach was trying what?" someone shouted but Jaime didn't stop.

"The Bleed is an interdimensional realm; the space between parallel universes. When tapping into it anyone or anything can be moved from one place in space and time to another. However, it turned out that it needs a lot of energy and the access didn't last long. That's why so many scarabs had to work together to pull it off."

"Where did you send that thing?"

"To the Reach's headquarters. Which is now dust," Jaime said with a smile, "they are weak now so the Beetle, the Scarabs, and the Lanterns plan to take them down once and for all."

"So now you can do that?" Bart asked him.

"For a short while," Blue said. "Though, the Beetle of this time told me to try to not to use it often on me since things had been known to get lost in the Bleed. They appear again, but usually in different times and places."

"Still very crash," Bart said feeling a breath of relief though it was short lived.

By the middle of the night, when all enemies had been defeated and all threats taken away he found himself pacing the tent with his family and friends in it. Jai and his aunt Dawn were sitting on chairs watching him walk back and forth. Neither of them said anything as they waited for the verdict.

"I can't remove them," the Beetle said stepping back, "the scientist might, but I wouldn't trust her."

"You think?" Jai said with a sneer.

"Can you at least make sure they are not in the mode?" Bart asked him.

"I checked… Jaime's work," the Beetle said giving a glance at his younger self, "he did all I would have done."

"Let me check," Miss Martian said but stopped when the Beetle shook his head no.

"It's no use. You won't be able to tell until they are fully conscious. These scarabs are a lot more complicated than all previous models. They have to be awake for us to tell for sure," the Beetle said placing a hand on top of one of the masks they wore.

"Is there really no other option?" Bart said holding the man's wrist. It wasn't that long ago that he saw two of his friends be killed because of his father.

"No," he said before he pulled one mask after another. A few moments had passed before the sleeping Speedsters started to move.

Bart watched, lately that was all he felt he could do. The youngest of the four sat in a bolt of energy, "Jai!" Iris West said looking around for her twin brother. Her bright green eyes were the same green and her hair the same red as Wally's. She had been only ten years old when she was taken. Bart had never met her for she was taken before he was born, but he could see she was something special. Her eyes were bright and vivid as she took in everyone around her. She spotted the Beetle and only looked a little surprised before her eyes landed on Jai. For him, it had been twenty years since he had last seen her.

"Jai?" she asked more curious than surprised.

"Yeah," he said standing and a moment later the little girl was hanging from his neck, "Iris." The harsh man hugged his twin back.

"Well, that isn't something you see every day," they all turned to watch a young man sit on the bed. He had his mother's blond hair and dark eyes.

"Max!" cried Iris before appearing on her older brother's side. At the time, Max West had been taken he had been but a teen of fifteen.

"Nice to see you too shrimp," he said holding his little sister before looking at Jai with a raised eyebrow, "though I don't know what I will call you now."

"Jai is fine," the man said sitting on the bed with them, "how are you feeling?"

The world stood still and wary waiting for their answer. The siblings had looked at each other before the older one replied, "fine I suppose, though confused as to what is going on."

"He is talking about the scarabs on our backs," Wally said leaning on the headrest of his bed, "they are annoying little buggers but besides that we are alive and okay." Wally had disappeared when he was in his late thirties so he looked very different as to what their friends remembered. His children joined him and he hugged each one of them with all his strength. Then, he looked at Dan who was still sleeping before reaching and shaking him awake, "boy wake up" he said before the last of the Speedsters woke up.

"BART!" he bolted up from the bed, tangled himself on the blankets and fell. He didn't reach the floor. He opened his eyes and saw two people he never thought he would see again. First was his sister. Last time he had seen her he had knocked her out while he tried to take on Reach troops on his own. She looked a little older but nothing in comparison to the young man who easily helped him back to bed. He knew who he was right away but still found hard to say it.

"I am almost fifteen," he told his father, "and boy do I have a story to tell you." He said with a smile that made Dan Allen realize that things would be okay even if the scarab on his back kept nagging at him.

888

A week passed. It was one crazy week. There had been a trial for the Beetle. He and the rest had been ready to protest, but the Beetle was okay with it. Though, it was not an ordinary hearing. Instead of giving him a sentence, the council gave him some tasks.

"Free the other worlds took by the Reach;" Lian had said handing the Beetle a piece of paper with the list things he was to do. "You are also to free every scarab you come across. Good or not, you are not to kill them but instead you are to bring them to the Lanterns for prosecution. And you are to return to Earth for constant checkups or we will go out there and find you."

The Beetle was more than happy to agree and after a few days he was gone with the other scarabs. Later they would be known as the Khaji Da Revolutionary Army or as they liked to call them on Earth; the KDRA. In that week government was also settled. Though they had no saying they were fascinated as the council decided to remain as such, but with elections every six years. They also decided to become one nation instead of splitting as they had originally planned. They became the Earth Union. Metas and regular humans started the reconstruction of their world. Those with special abilities over nature were sent to places to restore life. Even dangerous dames like Poison Ivy were happy to start rebuilding their world. For their part, Bart and his friends helped settling their first city in decades in what used to be Gotham.

They and everyone else worked tirelessly and usually with smiles on their faces. Yes, they had lost a lot but now they had all to gain. They could start building a new world for their families. They were free.

"You okay?" Superboy asked him as they sat on top of one of the buildings they had been helping build.

Bart realized there were tears running down his face, "I am just happy."

Superboy nodded and smiled as they looked at the people below. Five percent of what use to be, but they were the best five percent that made it through the harshest trials and darkest moments. They were forged in war and raised to defend each other from any threat. He was proud of belonging to this five percent though he knew he would have to leave them. That night they met at the tent he and his friends had been staying at. They had packed all their things and left a letter explaining why they were gone.

Bart didn't have the heart to tell his father his stance was only temporary. He knew they had pushed the machine to its limits and didn't want to risk stranding their friends in a time that wasn't their own. He knew there were many things they wanted to do back home. So, they stood in the middle of the tent and one by one they started removing the belts that kept them in that time. Tim was first, then Superboy, and then it was Blue's turn.

"See you in a bit," his friend said worriedly.

Bart laughed a little when his friend was gone. It was tearing him apart; he wanted to stay and he wanted to go back, but the choice was not his. He closed his eyes to prepare for the dizzy sensation from last time. He removed the belt and waited for the feeling of the ground disappearing underneath his feet. But it never came; he opened his eyes and saw he was still in his timeline.

888

Back in their time Robin, Superboy, and Blue Beetle stepped out of the glowing sphere. They had expected to be in the lab from where they left but instead were outside surrounded by every member of the League and the Team. And then there were the civilians and curious.

"Where is Kid Flash?" the Flash said appearing before them before they could ask what was everyone doing there.

They turned around and saw as the sphere that had brought them back home faded away leaving behind a broken machine.

"Kid…" Flash said ready to fall to his knees. He couldn't believe he lost Bart too.

"What are you all doing out here?"

They turned their heads towards one of the doors at Star Labs. Standing there in the flesh was Bart, though he looked a little different.

"C'mon, we only have a few minutes," he was by his grandfather's side a moment later before dragging him inside the labs.

He knew many of their friends were following and other stayed behind to keep the reporters and curious away. He was very grateful for the last for this was a very special day for him and his family.

888

Barry Allen was a man of science so it was not strange that he had a lot of questions when he entered the lab. There was what seemed to be a window of light, and standing around it were some people with familiar uniforms and others not so.

"We got five minutes Bart," a woman of red hair with a red hood said checking a device on her hand, "make them last."

"Believe me Lian, we will," Bart said and before anyone could ask if this woman was indeed little Lian he pulled Barry to a very particular group.

"Ehm hey," was the first thing Dan Allen could say before his sister rolled her eyes at him.

"Hey dad," she said throwing her twin look, "I am Dawn and this is-"

"I know who you are," Barry said embracing his children. They actually looked about the same age as him, but he didn't care. These were his kids. Dawn looked so much like her mother and Dan like him. He felt even greater pride at seeing them in costumes of their own. They made those five minutes last. His children told him in super-speed all that had happened and how happy they were to finally meet their father. Also of the honor they felt of carrying his legacy.

"They are the Tornado Twins," Bart chirped in.

"Not our choice, you grandson would let us pick our own names," Dan said ruffling his son's hair.

"There is someone else you also have to meet," Dawn said stirring her father to meet someone else.

He saw another man dressed in the Flash uniform. He and his companions had been talking very animatedly with Artemis and hugging her. The young woman was close to breaking down as she specially hugged a little girl with red pigtails.

"It's been too long Uncle Barry," the other Flash said removing his mask. He was clearly older and he wondered how many years it had been for him.

"Wally?" he said shocked as each of those wearing masks removed them. The others looked very familiar too now that he thought about it.

"I want you to meet the family," he said presenting each one of his children; little Iris wore Bart's old Impulse uniform. Max wore Kid Flash's, and Jai wore a green suit and carried a bow and arrow though he refused to call himself any names.

"One minute," Lian announced sadly.

"You won't miss us much," Dawn said hugging her father from that time line one last time, "make sure to spoil us a lot, because mom won't."

"Sure," Barry said feeling his chest tighten.

"And please have patience with Bart," Dan told him.

"Wait, aren't you going to-"

"I am staying," Bart told him with a smirk, "I promised I would come back."

"And this is where he belongs now," Dan said hugging his son, "though I am sure he would continue to make me proud wherever he went."

"Thanks," Bart said before they stood back and smiled not sad but hopeful that universe would work in their favor again and see each other again.

They all stepped through the window of light until only Lian remained.

"Twenty seconds," she said readily to step through.

"Wait!" the crowds of heroes parted away before Jade and Roy ran to her.

No words were exchanged. They had never been that type of family. Instead, they hugged those last fifteen seconds before Lian jumped back through the window just before it disappeared.

"Did that really just happen?" Wonder Girl asked Nightwing, who just shrugged, "damn. Now I wish I had gone with them."

"You and me both," Beast Boy said.

"No you don't," Wonder Woman said to the young heroes as she stepped forwards, "you could have gotten yourselves killed."

"I could say the same thing about many things the League does," Tim said crossing his arms.

"It is what we do," Bart said, "we risk our lives for those who can't protect themselves."

"We better take this to the Watchtower," Superman said, "all us being here together could be a risk." And he wanted all of them to cool down before they talked about what happened.

They had agreed before they left the building in every way they could. Bart and his companion time travelers weren't in any hurry. They knew the moment they stepped into the Watchtower they wouldn't get to leave anytime soon. They had done exactly what the League didn't want to, but they couldn't say they failed. They saved that timeline and they had made it back.

"Yeah mom, I am okay. I am just going to the League for a while. They want to know what happened," he caught Blue talking to his mother through his scarab. It seemed he had picked quite a few tricks from the Beetle of his time.

"What about we go and get something to eat first," Bart said as approached the Zeta beam.

"They will be waiting for us," Superboy said with a frown. He wasn't looking to see Wonder Woman any more upset.

"Let them," Tim said, "let them think of what they will decide."

"You know something," Superboy said sensing some bitterness emitting from the usually calm boy.

"In their last meeting some of the members thought it would be better if we and they went our different ways," Tim told them.

"And you didn't tell this before?" Superboy said as they stopped in front of the Zeta-Beam. Though he didn't sound so upset but sad. Was the League really trying to decide what to do with them without even talking to them? That seemed far from fair.

"We had other things to worry about," Tim told them.

"Dammit," Superboy said closing his eyes. They knew Tim was right.

"Great, we are getting kicked out of the League," Jaime said leaning against one of the walls of the alley they stood on.

"What are you worried about?" Bart told him, "Are you scared the other heroes will make fun of you? It doesn't matter. We don't need the League."

"This is not about pride," Blue said with a frown, "their resources are a lot greater than anything the four of us could obtain."

"Blue," Superboy said with a frown as he thought over his next words carefully, "we built a time machine and helped in the defeat of a conquering alien race. I believe we can do quite well on our own."

"I…" Blue tried to find another reason, but couldn't. It was just the simple fact that he, like his friends were worried they would fail if it did come to be on their own.

"Let's get going," Tim said, "but whatever happens, we are sticking together, got it?"

"No need to tell us twice," Bart said as they prepared to be judged.

TO BE CONTINUED ON _**Becoming Superboy 17**_


	12. Make Way

Kid Flash's Not so Easy Path 12

"Got you!" Bart said as he held the struggling toddler, "now little Dan, let's get you back in your pen."

He looked at the twins; his father and aunt stare at him with calculating eyes. The pen was specially made for them so they wouldn't hurt themselves if they tapped into their speed. It was the first time he was babysitting. His grandparents were out on a date and had asked him to look after the twins until the following morning. He had been surprised at the request, but he guessed there were very few who could take care of them now that they powers were starting to manifest.

"Don't even think about it. I am faster than the two you will ever be," he said crossing his arms and sitting in front of the pen before going back to his formulas and eating junk food. Half an hour later he saw they were both deep in slumber. He placed a blanket over them before going to sit on the couch.

He could barely believe the life he was leading now. For six months, he had been back in his time working for a way to come back to this time. He knew he would have been happy on his own but just couldn't bring himself to leave those two alone. His father understood and had helped him building the time machine. Though he might make another one and visit him, he now knew the real risks of doing so. This discovery led him to many other and theories that made his blood stop for moments at the time. He definitely couldn't tell them until he was sure. He didn't want to bring their hopes up without proof just yet.

He leaned back on the couch and set his notebook on the side. What if he tried to be a normal teen for a little while? He thought as he remembered his interactions in school. Barely anyone talked to him, and those who did were usually teachers who hated him for correcting them.

He heard a ping from his cell phone and opened it find a message from an unknown email. He opened and saw it was from Kiran. He had thought she would remain stubborn and not contact them. He opened it and found a short message to him.

_Are you guys okay?_

She asked probably referring to their stunt at Star Labs. The news had made it worldwide and it was no wonder. Not that many heroes had been seen together unless it was invasion season.

_We are fine though we cut ties with the League. Crash, isn't?_

He responded adding a smile at the end of the message.

_Sort of, if you are crazy. What are you doing?_

Yeah, he doubted his sanity too sometimes.

_Babysitting the Flash's kids. They are a handful but very cute._

He wished he could take a picture, but didn't dare. These kids would likely grow to be the heroes of the future.

_You are not serious. That is cool. So, are you related to the Flash?_

_It's hard to explain. It kind of involves what we were doing and why we cut ties._

_Is the Flash okay with that?_

_He is a very crash guy even when he is out of his uniform._

He didn't realize he spent hours chatting with her until he noticed his cell phone was about to die. He finally told her he had to get some sleep because of their time differences and left it at that.

_Don't be a stranger._

Was her last message before he passed out. When he woke up, it was the cries of the twins. He hurried to prepare their breakfast and set them on their special chairs to eat.

"I am not taking my chances with you two, you got it?" he told them smearing a bit of pancake due on their noses. Within five minutes of being left with the twins he learned they were tricky little things. He had thought those were characteristics they had adopted in the other timeline, but it seemed to be natural. As he ate his own stack of pancakes, he couldn't help smiling. He loved the idea they wouldn't be so different when they grew up.

"Well, the place is in one piece," Barry said as he and Iris returned from their night out. "I think we found ourselves a babysitter."

"As long as you leave a full fridge, I don't mind at all," Bart said with a mouthful, which the twins were fast to imitate.

"I don't know," Iris said whipping the doe from their noses, "these two are a mess." She said with a smile.

"Of course they are, they are babies," Barry said picking Dawn up. "Bart, could you come with me for a sec," he said with a smile though Bart didn't miss the strain in his voice.

Bart followed wondering if he had done something wrong. He knew Barry was not good at telling you when you did something wrong, which he could bet was going to a big problem when his dad and aunt grew up. He sat across from him in the living room as he bounced little Dawn on his knee.

"We need to talk Bart," Barry started.

"Is this another one of those conversations where I already know things and we are just saying them?" he asked with a smile trying to make things easier for his gramps.

"Not really," Barry couldn't help to laugh. The kid might have gone through a lot of things, but he never allowed that to damper his smile.

"Alright then, I am all ears," Bart said pulling on his own ears and then making a face which made little Dawn laugh.

"Iris and I wanted to go visit her family outside of the city, only for a few days. We were hoping you could help me here in the meanwhile," he said last with a little flinch at the end as Bart expression changed from a smiling one to serious.

"Are you sure?" Bart asked, "The League will surely not be happy about it."

"Central City is under my protection," Barry said, "and like you and your friends said, you no longer follow their rules."

"And you are okay with that?" Bart asked with wide eyes.

"Even though others might not agree, I believe you have proven yourself responsible enough to do this on your own," Barry said as he handed Dawn to him. "I wouldn't have left them with you if I didn't believe so," he said as he returned to the kitchen.

"Thanks," he said holding the little girl, a big smile on his face.

888

He waved goodbye as his family drove away from their home. From Wednesday to Friday he would be the defender of this city. He looked at his cell and saw the time before sighing. He had to get to school. He had arrived moments before the bell rang.

He wished Barry would let him skip school. He was smart enough to do the test necessary for it, but his grandfather wanted him to keep a low profile. He didn't blame him; the boy genius that can work out kinks of time and space travel would probably bring a maniac to this door, in a kid you not, a flash. Still, it was frustrating to listen to things he already knew. In little to no time, he was bored and doodling away in his notebook.

It seemed silly, especially with all that they had gone through the past few weeks, but wanted a change of look. He still wanted to be Kid Flash, until he was no longer a kid, but he wished to be a different Kid Flash. Their trip to the past made him realize he would never be Wally. He had grown in a typical home and taken the mantle of Kid Flash because he believed in the good he could make. He entered this world because he didn't have another option and had no idea how to be anything else.

"Mr. Allen, is my class too boring or you just don't care at this point," his teacher asked when she stood behind him having caught a pick at what he was drawing. A moment later his doodles had been replaced by notes. She blinked and stepped back.

"Of course I care Ms. Lee, I have been paying attention," he said turning his notes for her to see.

"Ma-make sure it stays that way," she said returning to giving her class.

Bart took all the advanced classes and had not understood when he started normal school that teachers, especially those teachers didn't like to be corrected by the students. So, that school year he had started just attending classes but participating only when the teacher wanted him to. Still, some of them remembered how easily he outsmarted them.

The bell for the end of class sounded and at the same time the earpiece told him of a robbery. It was carried out by Captain Cold; a few seconds after he was in the middle of the city and in front of the bank in his costume. He had to make this fast and hurry back to school for the next class. Mr. Brown usually took you grade down every time you were late. He didn't want that on his record if he wanted Flash to continue to trust him to take care of things on his own.

The whole front of the bank was covered with a thick wall of ice.

"Where is Flash?" Captain Frye asked when he spotted him.

"He is busy," Kid Flash told, "what's the situation?"

"I don't think so kid, I am not letting you in there on your own," Captain Frye told him.

"That's funny," he said but before the Captain could ask him he was gone. He went to the back of the bank where he knew the vault was located. He vibrated through until he was on the other end. He picked out of the already ransacked vault to see Captain Cold smoking a cigar.

"Where the heck is he?" Captain Cold muttered to himself, "he is never late."

"Ha, you got no idea," he said before Captain Cold turned around and pointed his ice gun at him.

"Where is Flash!" Captain Cold sneered at him.

"You know here and there," Kid said with a smile, "so, how do you want to do this? Do you give up and you don't get punched in the jaw, or I punch you in the jaw and drag you out there for the world to see you got beat by a kid."

"What about I freeze your skinny ass and wait for a real hero to appear," Cold said with a smirk, "you got nothing on me kid."

"Aww, you like Flash, I mean not like _that_, but I bet you see he is a cool guy, no pun intended," Kid said holding Cold's Freeze gun. "Tell you what, I will tell him to visit you in jail whenever he gets the chance."

"You little…" Cold started before getting punched in the jaw.

"Sorry, I will be late for late for class otherwise," he said tying him up and then vibrating himself out. He rushed to Frye and said "all yours, and you are welcome."

He made it just in time before the bell rang.

888

After school, he ran around the city looking for things to do. Central City was one of the safest cities in the world and that was thanks to Flash. When there was no danger is sight Flash would help with little deeds around the city; helping old ladies cross the street, find missing pets, finish housing projects and so on. There was a reason why the city loved Flash so much. He was always helping.

Bart didn't want them to feel any less secure with him. Though he found all of it repetitive, it was still nice to see the surprised and happy expressions everyone had when he left. By sunset, he stopped in one of the diners Flash visited from time to time. The waitress had a bright smile as she served him a piece of pie on the house. He could get used to this, he thought as little kids came to him for an autograph.

When night fell, he went and sat on the top of a building from where he watched the city night move. He leaned forwards and couldn't help feeling a little lonely. He and Flash usually sat here when they worked together, but now he was alone. One day, he imagined his dad and aunt would sit here too. Maybe it would be with Flash or with him.

"I guess you got everything under control," he didn't turn around. He didn't want Hal Jordan, the Green Lantern, to see his shocked expression.

"And I guess you guys can't leave us alone. What part of we don't answer to you do you not understand?" He said turning around after getting hold of himself. Hal was one of Barry's closest friends, but he didn't want to hear another lecture from the League, ever.

"Wow kid! I didn't come here to pick a fight," Hal said landing before him, "I trust Flash's judgment."

"Doesn't look like it to me," Kid said crossing his arms.

"Hey, I am all for giving you kids a chance of your own," Hal said with a smile. "And for Wonder Woman to stop bringing the subject every time there is a meeting." He got enough nagging from the Guardians. "I just wanted to remind you that if you do need help, because we all do at some point, to not let your pride get in the way and ask for help."

"I guess so," Bart said with a sigh.

"Don't look so happy, you are going to make me cry," Hall said rolling his eyes behind his mask. "Make sure to tell the rest of your team about it."

"Will do," Bart said before the Green Lantern was gone. But first he would call his friends for help and then if needed the League or the Team.

888

_**Breaking News Central City; today the Justice League announces the retirement of Aquaman, also known as the King of Atlantis. The Justice League's press representative informed this morning in an enlightening press conference.**_

"_**Once known as Aqualad, Kaldur'ahm will be taking the role of Aquaman within the Justice League. While King Arthur returns to his kingdom to concentrate on the relations of Atlantis with the rest of the world."**_

_**The League has made the young man's involvement with the League more apparent as of late. If not as part of the transition, at least to give us a taste of what the young Atlantean can do. He might not be able to control the life of the sea, but Kaldur, as he is called by his friends, has shown skills to rival those of his mentor."**_

Mr. Garrison lowered the volume of the TV and watched with a smile as Kaldur made a small statement about being proud to be part of the League and to take his mentor's role. Also, as Bart expected, Kaldur said he knew he had a big role to fulfill, but would do everything in his power to honor it. Bart held back a yawn. It was all he had expected of Kaldur to say to the last word. He wished him luck by lifting his orange juice as in toast to his old boss.

"That might be you someday," Jay said ruffling the kid's hair. "You sure are making that clear to the city and the world," he said placing the day's newspaper on the table showing a captured Captain Cold with the headlines.

'_MAKE WAY FOR KID FLASH'_ italics and all.

"My first headline, that's a souvenir," Bart laughed before taking the newspaper to his room.

"They grow so fast," Mrs. Garret said with a smile.

888

He had captured Captain Boomerang and the Weather Wizard as they tried to break into Star Labs and a car chase in between classes.

"Is Flash okay?" Captain Frye the second time they met.

"He is taking a vacation," Kid Flash said trying to not roll his eyes. Leave it to the man to not trust youth even after they proved themselves, "don't worry, he will be back by tomorrow."

"Listen kid, I am not saying you are not doing good, but you are not the Flash," Captain Frye said, "or the previous Kid. You can't really expect me to trust you without him around."

Kid looked at him shocked for a moment, but it was too short for the man to notice. He would not allow him to see how much those words had hurt him. The Flash trusted him, and he was doing all in his power to honor Wally. He didn't need this old fart's approval.

"See you around Captain, I will give your regards to Flash once he returns," he said before leaving as fast as he could, otherwise he would not be responsible for his next words.

888

"He actually said that?" Jaime asked him as they sat at a fast food restaurant with a pile of burgers. "I thought people here loved the Flash, and those who ran with him."

"I have been so crash with everything. Just because I am not my grandfather or Wally the Captain thinks he has the right to dismiss me like that?" he said. Then there was a thought that was even more outrageous to him, "I have been helping him for almost two years and it took them over one to realize I was not the same Kid Flash."

"Well, they don't usually get a chance for a good picture," Jaime said unwrapping one of the burgers.

"That's beside the point, I am just as good," Bart said before he realized Jaime was giving him an odd look, "what? Or are you going to tell me I am not that good."

"Don't bite my head off bro, I am just surprised we have been sitting here for over a minute and you haven't touched your food," Jaime said with a smirk. "I have never seen anything bother you this much."

"Is not bothering me; I just think is ridiculous how they act sometimes. Things aren't going to be always the same. Heroes are going to come and go. Aquaman's retirement from the League should be clue enough to show them that times are always changing," he said before unwrapping his first burger.

"Could you speak a little louder, I don't think they heard you in the next boot," Tim said sitting next to Jaime.

"How did you… never mind. Is there something wrong?" Jaime asked.

"No, I am just out for lunch," he said taking a burger from the pile, "and Dick called me. It seems we are invited to King Arthur's goodbye party which also happens to be Kaldur's welcome party to the League."

"He must be glad, he gets to lead the Team again," Bart said.

"He is not," Tim said, "he is actually moving to Blüdhaven."

"That place is terrible," Jaime said with a flinch.

"That's why Dick is going there. The League requested a volunteer and he offered himself," Tim explained though he didn't look too happy about it.

"So, who will be leading the Team?" Bart asked.

"Miss Martian is filling the place for now though she would do well if she kept the station," Tim said with a smirk. Miss Martian could be like an older sister but could also be a very efficient and strict leader. He didn't believe there was anyone better for the job.

"Talking about leaders," Bart started, "I think we should talk about that."

"Conner isn't here," Tim said.

"Oh please, we all think you are the best one for the role," Jaime said and before Bart could open his mouth, "and you know it too."

"Yeah, I guess," Bart said picking his third burger. "So, are we actually seeing Jason this weekend?" he asked with a small frown.

"Scared?" Tim asked with a smirk.

"Of course not, just curious. Jaime and I have never met the guy," and there opinions from the Team and the League were very mixed about the guy. Some had liked him and other just despised him.

"Any recommendations?" Jaime asked.

"Not really," Tim said calmly.

"You can't leave us with that, the guy almost kil-" he started shouting before Jaime leaned from his place and covered his mouth with his hand.

"Like he needs to be reminded," he whispered harshly.

"Sorry," he said feeling for a moment like the kid that arrived at that time almost two years ago.

"Jason is not the predictable kind," Tim said, "there really isn't anything I could tell you besides that wouldn't become a distraction."

"Got it," Bart said though he knew his heart wasn't into it. Sometimes, he didn't fell like Kid Flash, but more like Impulse.


	13. Home Alone

Kid Flash's Not so Easy Path 13

He hated feeling useless. All his life had been, until that point about helping others. It was like an illness sometimes. He knew you would be safer if you stayed inside. But it was just not physically possible for him (and others he knew) to stand on the side and let things happen or be handled by someone else. There was an inevitable rush to being a hero that he loved. He was an adrenaline junkie in a way. Sure, he was afraid sometimes, but when things were resolved he never felt more alive. It was a great feeling.

Now, he wasn't feeling any of it. He was desperate to get out there and see what was going on.

Everyone had been evacuated the closest shelter to the school. He knew he had to stay just long enough for the teacher to check mark him on the list before he could go see what the problem was. The police feeds were out at that time. There was rarely an issue big enough to make the whole city go into panic. With Flash as their protector, they knew issues usually were dealt with in a short time.

"Bart Allen?" the teacher called.

"Here! Here!" he jumped where he stood before the teacher gave him a curt nod and continued with the next person. The genius kid could take care of himself, he probably thought, which was fine with Bart.

He slipped to the back of the room, nearest to the door and opened to slip out before he bumped into someone.

"Where do you think you are going kid?" an officer said pushing him back inside.

"Nowhere," he said with a nervous smile, "I am just a little claustrophobic, I like to be near the door."

The officer raised an eyebrow at him. He didn't believe Bart for a second but let it go. He locked the door behind him before going to his teacher and checking that none of the students were missing. There was the sound of an explosion as if a car had exploded along with the marching of many heavy bodies. He had to get out there like five minutes ago.

"Talk about the mode," he said under his breath before slipping to the other end of the room where there were multiple doors for bathrooms. He was glad that he wasn't close to anyone in school to notice him missing. He slipped into one of the stalls and closed his eyes to get some concentration, "so mode." He then placed his hands on the back wall and started vibrating his way out. He could do small objects and some walls, but the shelters were reinforced with at least one meter of cement around them. Central City did not take super-powered issues lightly. He thought he had taken a wrong turn but then there was light and he was outside.

He rushed to the scene and watched from above a building as a portal was allowing through an army of armored gorillas. He was dumbfounded for a moment before he remembered Flash telling him of an exotic civilization hidden in the Amazon. He had understood they were well-minded creatures, but sadly enough their leader was not. He started looking for Gorilla Grodd, the largest of them with a scar running down his left eye and covered in the stench of death.

It wasn't difficult to find the brute. The once prince, now monarch of the gorillas was wearing a crown. He was being carried around on a stone throne by a group of chained gorillas, probably traitors he wanted to punish before killing and eating their brains. He shivered at the thought of seeing such a sight. Gorilla Grodd was a genius due to his knack for eating his victims' brains and gaining their intelligence. He was a monster even to his kind. Flash had always made sure to teach him as much as possible about his enemies, but Grodd was the oddest to him. The gorilla had no real purpose but to try to take Flash down, and slave humans and gorillas in the way.

The beast turned his head and stared directly at him. There was no emotion in the beast's face. It blinked once before continuing on the parade he seemed to be leading. He didn't consider Kid Flash a threat. Well, he would make him regret judging him so fast.

Grodd's soldiers barged into the now empty homes and shops and started trashing everything. They looked absolutely miserable, and Bart wondered what Grodd had on them to make them do this. Last he understood the citizens of Gorilla City had locked him away as they could not kill him because he was of noble blood. At the top of that Grodd served a sponge to all of their negative feelings due to a particular link the gorillas from Gorilla City shared.

Though he would love to deal a good beating to the selfish animal, he knew he couldn't do this on his own. He hurried back home and tried to reach Barry, but found the line dead. He tried the League's communicator, but there was no answer. Finally, he reached for the cell phone Tim had given them to stay in contact and called Blue. Every moment could mean the gorillas found a shelter, so he was fast to tell his friend what was going on.

"GorillasareattackingthecityandIcan'tgetholdofFlashortheLeague!"

"What?" okay, maybe he had gone too fast, again. But then again he had no time to waste.

"Get your ass here!" he shouted before hanging up and then tried to call Superboy. The line went straight to voice mail. He tried Tim then, but the other young hero could only say he was dealing with something else before the line went dead.

"We can do this," he said taking a deep breath and then returning to the city. He knew all the shelters and made sure to guard them any time a gorilla was near them. No civilians were going to get hurt in his watch, especially after Flash trusted him to look after the city on his own.

Finally, he spotted two figures in the sky and rushed to meet them on a near roof. One of course was his good friend, the other was Booster Gold.

"Where is the Flash or the League?" Blue asked ignoring Bart's questioning look.

"They are out of range," Kid Flash said giving Booster Gold a skeptical look. He had seen on the news that those two had a fight the previous night in Toronto. He wondered what happened between then and now to change things. "Grodd jammed their signal, so I can't even get hold of Flash."

"Then let's get to work kiddies," Booster said cracking his knuckles, "I have a photo shoot this evening and I don't want to be late." He said before jumping off the building and flying towards the gorillas. They watched wide-eyed as his gauntlets generated energy blasts that knocked quite a few of the gorillas unconscious.

"You heard him," he said to Blue before they joined the fight. They knocked as many of the gorillas out before sending them back through their portal. In the end, a small army remained to protect Grodd though the gorilla still looked unpreoccupied by all.

"Why aren't they doing anything?" Booster said standing with them as they faced the gorilla army. A whole minute had passed, but the beasts didn't move an inch.

Finally, Grodd stood from his throne. His soldiers parted way for him to move as he started his way to them. Kid Flash stood in front of his friends. Grodd stopped and so did he.

"I am King Grodd," the gorilla said in a guttural voice.

"I figured," Kid said pointing at his head.

The Gorilla acted as if he hadn't heard him and went on, "I am the chosen one; the light bearer. All those who standing in the way, I destroy."

"Just not when Flash or the League gets in your way; Oh, and you can now add us to that list," Bart said crossing his arms.

"Don't anger the evil brain eating gorilla," Blue whispered harshly from the back while Booster Gold was cracking a smile.

"It's my destiny to be the lighting bearer, and Flash stole that from me," Grodd said with a sneer. "But now I see that he makes a mockery of my destiny and shares its power with others." He glared at Bart but held his head high like an authentic monarch. Then the gorilla smirked, and Kid Flash felt a shiver run down his back, "I will take it back, even if I have to hunt every single member of his family."

"You did not just say that," Blue said with a frown as he formed a cannon and Booster loaded his gauntlets with beams.

Though Kid appreciated the intention, he decided to leave his friend out of this one. They could take care of the gorilla army, but Grodd was his.

"And here I thought you were some sort of mad genius. You are just mad," Kid Flash said before running at all speed against the beast.

He landed punch after punch on Grodd as Blue and Booster attacked the remains of the gorilla army back into the portal. Bart wished he could say he was doing as well as them. Grodd seemed unaffected by his attack, no matter how many times he hit him. Grodd then opened his palm, and he saw a little metallic puzzle box. It took a fraction of a second to turn red hot and though it was burning his skin, Grodd didn't let go of it. The next punched he tried to land on Grodd was stopped by the gorillas hand.

"How?" Kid Flash asked when he tried to free himself. There was no way Grodd would be able to read his movements fast enough to catch him, any less match his speed.

"I told you I would take what rightfully mine back," the gorilla laughed as he lifted Bart off the ground with his hand alone and squeezed until some of the bones started to crack.

"Ahhhh!" Kid Flash screamed as his hand was being crushed. Though in pain, he knew the little box was the reason behind Grodd being able to catch him. He could feel something draining from him, and then he knew his speed was being stolen. Kid swung his legs to try to kick the box off his hand, but fell short before Grodd pulled the box out of his reach.

Then he heard Grodd scream and he fell to the floor. He pulled back and saw Blue and Booster shooting the king of the gorillas. It seemed Grodd hadn't counted on him having help besides the League or Flash. He had probably thought of catching him on his own and stealing his powers with the small box before killing him.

"Enough!" shouted Grodd appearing before them and lifting both of them off the floor by their throats.

Blue tried to say something as a painful smile appeared on his face. He had generated a cannon from his chest before he blasted Grodd, which sent him crashing into a building.

"Are you okay?" Blue asked him flinching as his throat was injured.

"He will be as long as he stays away from that ape," Booster said rubbing his own throat.

"We need to get that cube away from him before anything else. Neither one of us can reach such speeds," Blue said preparing his staple and beam gun.

"Sounds like a plan to me," Booster said before the two of them launched at Grodd, who was pulling himself out of the rubble.

Kid Flash tried to shout at them to stop. He knew most didn't imagine the real dangers of an evil super-powered speedster, but of course he did. He knew they could get seriously hurt if they overestimated Grodd. Grodd didn't need to be stronger than them, or any particular blast to take them on. A few seconds after Blue crashed into a car, and Booster was slammed into the ground with such force that he left crater behind.

"I don't make a habit to eat human's brains. But to follow my destiny, there are certain sacrifices I must commit to," Grodd said appearing before Bart before he tried to catch him. Bart ducked down just in time to dodge him before he started running. He could only hope now that whatever energy stole from him with that cube would run out before he actually caught him. He ran through the whole city being chased by the gorilla at super-speed. As the minutes passed, he noticed that Grodd started to slow down. His battery was running low, and good thing because he was now running on an empty stomach.

"You humans are so gullible," Grodd said as for one moment to the next his speed increased. He caught Kid Flash by the ankle and lifted him off the ground and held him upside down.

"Let go of me!" he shouted as he kicked with his other leg.

"Hopefully your stupidity doesn't make it taste any worse than other's I have eaten," Grodd said shaking the kid so that his head would hit a nearby wall.

"You bastard piece of… Ah!" and he was slammed into another wall.

"I should have known the Flash didn't teach you any manners," Grodd said lifting him higher so that they were face to face though he was still upside down.

"He also didn't teach me how to play fair," he said before spitting on Grodd's face.

The gorilla sneered, but didn't let go of him, which was what Kid Flash had been hoping for. He had cursed some more before he heard something, but it couldn't be right.

"Hahaha…" he heard a tired and pained laugh. He turned to see Booster Gold sitting up though flinching, "catch him!"

He then felt a shock run through his body and then he was falling. Someone caught him and then he was looking down as Grodd's body convulsed a countless volts of energy ran through him. He saw Booster Gold touching the ground and supplying the power.

"Nano-spheres," Blue Beetle told him before Kid Flash looked more carefully. Strewn around were small spheres which were serving as conductors.

"And he is out!" shouted Booster Gold as Grodd fell down.

"I would zap him a few times just to make sure," Kid Flash said with a glare.

"He is out kid," Booster told him picking Grodd up, "though I wish he weren't. Suit or not, this guy weights a ton."

"So, how did you do that? I don't remember seeing you dropping those," Blue said placing Bart on the ground.

"Oh right," Booster said pressing a few buttons on his gauntlet before the small spheres started floating towards him and fused into his suit. "I programmed the suit to drop them as we fought, and waited for the right chance to hit."

"You mean until we were pummeled?" Blue said clearly pissed.

"Until he was weakened," Booster said, "believe it or not bug, Grodd was wearing down every time he tapped into the stole speed force. Even if he had stolen your link to the speed force, he would have lived for a very short time."

"Ohh…" Blue said looking sheepish.

Booster threw Grodd through the portal and then pressed something on his gauntlets. The portal shut off.

"How do we know they won't come back?" Kid said looking at the destruction around them, "we should have locked Grodd up."

"The Gorillas need him to absorb the bad mojo," Booster told him, "besides; he won't be able to make them do anything against their will without this." He showed them the crown Grodd had been wearing was not a simple golden grown, but also had circuitry embedded in it.

"It was amplifying his psychic abilities over the other gorillas," Kid said looking at it closer, "but how did you know?"

"Time traveler, remember?" he said with a smirk before handing the little cube, "I would recommend you to keep that somewhere safe, you are going to need it later."

"Is he?" Blue asked looking at the small cube with doubt. Why would Kid need something that can steal his abilities?

"Believe me, he will. Oh," Booster said as he started to take off, "remember to ask Superboy about N.o.w.h. , they were the ones behind this."

"And why don't you tell us!" Blue Beetle shouted.

"Because!" Booster shouted almost out of range, "that wouldn't be crash at all!"

"I changed my mind about that guy," Kid Flash said as he whipped his forehead and saw the blood, "though hopefully next time we won't get so banged up."

"I wouldn't bet on that," Blue said looking around with a sigh, "let me guess, we have to do clean up."

"Flash's city, so yeah," he said looking around too, "but I have to go back to school. I will be back in a flash."

"Ugh, you had to say that," he heard Blue say before he left.

Thankfully he didn't have to vibrate his way back into the shelter. Everyone was distracted with the feed the police delivered to the shelters. They were showing Blue helping clean up the mess, and soon he was met with Flash, who looked slightly panicked. He guessed that he was worried about him and after a quick exchange he calmed down.

"Allen, where have you been?" he did his best not to jumped when his teacher placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Right here sir," he said with a smile, "amazing, isn't? The Blue Beetle in our city."

"Just kids playing at being heroes," his teacher said, "Flash wouldn't have left such a mess."

"Flash wasn't here when we needed him. They were," Bart, the boy that was sickening sunny around school, was glaring at the teacher with such spite that the teacher had to step back. But as soon as the expression had appeared, it was gone and teacher wondered if he had imagined it.

"Everyone, we are passing list again before going back to school. Your parents will pick you up," the officer in charge called before they started organizing everyone out.

Knowing his grandfather's record for being late, he was already preparing to leave on his own. However, he found him first in line to pick him up outside of school. He waved his arms frantically.

"Heh, my uncle," he said to one of his peers that were looking at Barry as if he had lost his mind. He hurried to him before anyone could ask him any questions.

When they got back to the battle area, Blue was talking to the authorities and by the way he was shaking his arms in the air in exasperation.

"There he is! Ask him yourself!" he pointed at Flash.

"Oh boy," Flash said trying to keep his friendly smile up as he walked up to Captain Frye, who seemed as exasperated as Blue.

"You left a kid in charge of our city?" he said poking Flash on the chest.

"Back off!" Kid said standing between them, "we took care of things as you can see."

"It's okay Kid," Flash said placing a hand on his shoulder.

"It's not," Kid said stepping forwards, "this guy had done nothing but to doubt me every moment you were gone even though I took care of things just as you would have."

"How could I not doubt you, you are just…"

"My successor," Flash said "and worthy of your trust and that of the city."

Captain Frye looked shocked for a moment but merely gave a nod before walking off. Though, he didn't look too happy to hear those words from Flash.

"Something is off," Flash said after the man was out of hearing range, "Blue filled me in with what Grodd was using. Though he is a genius, the technology to make something like that work is nowhere available in Gorilla City or anywhere else I know. I believe it would be best to have the League research it."

Bart trusted his grandfather and knew he wouldn't ask this of him unless it was indeed necessary. Blue and he were no longer associated with the League, so any request from them was completely their choice. He was tempted to just give him the cube in pocket, but he remembered what Booster told him, and if the man were indeed a time traveler, it would be better for him to keep it.

"Sorry, it got destroyed in the battle. I destroyed it since I didn't want anyone else risking using it to try to steal our powers. Booster told us that if anyone but us attempted to tap into the source of our powers, they would not live for long."

"I guess that's for the best, and it makes sense," he said, "even if the info comes from Booster Gold."

"You really need to give the guy more credit," Kid said, "right Blue?"

"I guess, when is not being a complete pain," Blue said, "c'mon, there is still plenty to do."

They continued the cleanup thinking this would be most difficult part of their week. However, as they would learn the following day the Red Hood and the Outlaws would change their minds.


	14. Consequences

FOLLOWING THE EVENTS OF_** '**_**A ROBIN, RED ROBIN 3.'**

Kid Flash's Not so Easy Path 14

Bart woke up at the feeling of someone sitting on him. He swore he was never inviting Salad-Head to stay over again. Besides always clogging the shower, the other teen had the attention span of a fruit fly and the hyper-activeness of a squirrel in spring. Yeah, he was a speedster, but he also needed a good night sleep. A cranky speedster usually ended with someone not finding their clothes after showering.

"Bart, wake up!" a child, the one sitting on top of him whined, before jumping off him, "we are going to be late!"

He opened his eyes and saw a girl with bright green eyes and blond hair stare at him with a pout. He bolted to stand before looking around. It was a bedroom; the best one in the whole world. It had all the ordinary things a bedroom needed, but what was important was all the tools, and machines around it. They were the projects he always wished to work on, yet could barely ever find time or materials to do it. It wasn't like you could buy Plutonium on the internet without getting asked a few questions from the guys in black.

"C'mon Bart, we are going to be late!" the girl pulled on his arm until he was standing, "hurry!" she proceeded to push him towards the closet. He opened it and found a modified Kid Flash suit. It sort of reminded him of a doodle he was doing at class only a few days ago. He stared at it in shock. He wondered if he was dreaming. At the nagging and whining of the little girl, he changed. Besides, he wasn't going to look for answers wearing only pajamas, dream or not dream. He followed her into a kitchen where he immediately spotted his father. He was wearing the purple and white suit they had created together, and at the top of it an apron that said 'Best Dad in the World'; definitely a dream.

"Dad?" he asked at seeing his father set two plates with pancakes on the table.

"C'mon Bart, you don't want to make your sister later for her first day, do you?" he said with a smile.

"Sister?" he looked at the little girl.

"Dad! He is being mean again!" she whined before hugging _their_ father and giving him a pouty look.

"Enough of that Zora; eat your breakfast or you are the one who is going to make you late," Dan said before motioning to Bart to sit down. He sat down and started to eat. He also ran theories of what could be happening because this was no longer feeling like a dream. As he ate, he tried to remember how he got there, but could only draw a blank. He was sure he had been with Tim, Conner and Jaime, but couldn't recall where.

"Will mommy make it?" Zora asked almost making him choke on his food. Okay, this was really messed up, he thought, his mother died when he was only a year old. He had no memory of her, but a picture that his father had once shown him. The picture went missing when he was captured by the Reach.

"She will surely try," his father said in a kind voice, "now hurry you two. Your ride won't be long."

"Why can't we just run there?" the girl asked poking at her food.

"Because then people won't see you lovely suit, now will they?" his father said. It was the right thing to say for a moment later the girl was done with her food and changed into his old Impulse costume. 'Don't you look fantastic?!" his father said placing a kiss on her forehead. Then, turned to Bart with a serious expression, "make sure she meets everyone and don't let her wander through the base on her own."

"Got it," he said giving a soldier like salute hoping it was the right thing to do. Then, he heard the distinctive sound of a ship.

"I will catch up to you in a short while. They are here, now you two _run _along," he said before Zora snickered. Bart couldn't help rolling his eyes. Whoever was doing this, got his dad just right.

They stepped into an extensive backyard. He had to guess there were at least three acres behind the house. It was a dream for a growing speedster. Then he looked up at a ship that reminded him of the Bio-ship but much longer. He had to guess it fit at least double the number of people. The ship didn't entirely land but hovered a few meters off the ground. A few moments later a ramp was lowered.

"This is the best day ever!" the little girl said excitedly before rushing to get on the ship. Bart followed her closely after waving at his father. He stepped on the platform but then turned, rushed to give his dad a fast hug and then got on the ship. Illusion or whatever this was, he wasn't missing the chance to embrace his father.

Almost every seat in the ship was occupied but for the exception of the one next to Zora. He sat next to his _sister_ and took in everyone in the ship in. They all wore uniforms of which some he recognizes but not those who wore them. As he studied further, he realized about half of them were kids around Zora's age (around ten or eleven years old), and the rest were in their teens or older.

"You alright B-man?" he turned and saw a blond teenage boy wearing something that looked like Speedy's original outfit plus a few bells and whistles.

"Yeah, you?" he hoped the kid was a Speedy; otherwise things were going to get awkward.

"Hoping to get this over with soon. I can't stand these ceremonies," he said rolling his eyes before pointing with his thumb at a little girl with pigtails who wore something like Black Canary costume, but rated G of course. She gave the older boy a glare before going back to chat with the girl in the seat in front of her.

"We could always throw you two out of the ship," said someone appearing only a few inches from them. He looked up and saw Superboy.

"Sorry sir!" the boy said immediately.

Superboy turned to stare at Bart with a raised eyebrow. He realized he wanted an apology too even though he didn't say anything, "sorry sir."

"You okay Allen? You seem strange," Superboy kneeled before him, "worried about your little sister?"

"Yeah," he said looking at the little girl who looked ready to explode from excitement.

"She reminds me when you first boarded with your cousin. Don't worry, she will be fine," he said giving him a friendly smile before giving the other boy a warning glare, and then returned to his seat in the front.

He was glad the other boy decided to stay quiet. He had to take in what was happening. Superboy or at least he thought it was Superboy seemed to be fine with him having a sister. Then again, he looked different. He still looked like a teenager, but his hair was a buzz cut on the sides and he had a silver earring. At the top of that, Superboy's uniform was different. Red jeans, combat boots, a black shirt with the red S on it, and a black leather jacket with the same red S on the back.

A few minutes after, the man that had been piloting the ship stood up and left the controls to Superboy. He thought his heart was going to stop when he saw Nightwing walk to stand before them. This wasn't odd in itself, but the fact that he looked almost the same as when he knew him in his own time. The man was closing on sixty, but still wore the Nightwing uniform.

"Listen up now," he said in a commanding voice, "today is the big day and I will not have one or two of you ruin it for the rest. So, here are the rules. First rule, you will listen and adhere to each one of the rules. The second rule, I set the rules. The third rule, you will not if you don't wish a month of scrubbing toilets disobey my rules. Fourth rule, you are to smile and be polite to those watching, but you don't answer any questions, especially those of reporters. The League has an official speaker, so all questions go to him. Fifth rule, no flying or using your other skills to show off; all of you will walk that path like the mortals that you are. Sixth rule, older members look after the younger ones and make sure they adhere to the rules. Seventh rule, the young are to stay close to their chaperones and listen to what they say during the entrance and while in the base. Eight rule, I don't care who your daddy, mommy, or sibling is; you are not excluded from following the rules. Do you all get it?!"

"Yes sir!" the teen and older members said unison followed by the younger ones in a jumble of squeaks and gasps.

"The name is Nightwing, and this is Superboy for those who are new to Earth," Nightwing said giving them a lopsided smile, "we will be arriving in T minus five. So get your game face on kids."

Nightwing made sure he made eye contact with each one of them, even with him before going back to flying the ship. There had been no recognition whatsoever when he saw him.

"Bart, what if they don't like me?" Zora asked him starting to fidget.

"How could they not?" he said giving her a forced smile, "you are the cutest one of the bunch."

The girl gave him a bright smile before hugging him. He found himself wishing this was real; to have his parents and even a sibling with him. He pushed the girl back gently. He had no idea of what was going on, but would play along until he found what it was. For the remainder of the trip, he tried to remember how he got there. As he forced himself to remember, some things started to become clear. The last thing he kept remembering was when he was about to go back to the past. His father and him had talked about it for months and agreed he would be better off in the past. It broke their hearts to leave each other, but it was the sensible choice. When they put the uniforms on, they had to forget about selfish wishes. Besides, he had made a promise to Flash to go back.

"Alright kiddos, we are here," Nightwing said as the ship landed.

Bart realized then that there was a lot of noises.

"Members, you will flank the young on both sides," Superboy said as Nightwing went to stand before the group as they got themselves in order. He was to the right of Zora and right behind a young man dressed in an entirely black Batman-like suit. His companion looked like a Robin though he believed the outfit to be too bright even for a Robin.

The ramp was lowered and they started walking. Nightwing was walking in the front of the group while Superboy was on the back. He wondered how much of this was for show and how much was to protect the kids against a threat. There was a large crowd on either side of them as a large path was cleared before them. They shouted their names in adorations, and he saw a few reporters trying to get a word from the kids. More than once the chaperones had to pull the little ones back. He was he didn't have that issue with Zora.

Right at the end, there was a large building that resembled the Hall of Justice, but seemed to take itself more seriously. On the sides of the entrance, he saw adult heroes standing on wait watching them as they walked what he thought now as the welcoming carpet for the young to be heroes. He spotted his father and Aunt Dawn standing in their uniforms right next to a young woman of dark skin that was waving directly at them.

"XS also made it," Zora said with a bright smile as she waved back at the woman, "best day ever."

XS was talking to Aunt Dawn, who seemed to be having a hard time not laughing at what the young woman was saying. As they got closer and got a better look at her and he saw the resemblance between them. Even though their skin tones were almost opposite, there were no doubt her eyes were the same as his aunts, and her face almost identical. This was getting weirder by the minute.

They finally reached the building and large doors opened in front of them. As soon as they were through they closed behind them and they were in darkness. He prepared himself for an attack.

"Congratulations!" he almost jumped out of his skin when the light was turned. They were surrounded by civilians that went to hug some of the young children and tell them how great they had been.

"You looked great sweetie," he watched a woman embrace Zora before hugging him, "and you looked so alert son. I am proud of you both."

She was his mother. She had the same smile he had seen in that picture so long ago. She went back to doting on the young girl who seemed more than happy with the way the day was going. Shortly after his father and aunt joined them along with XS, who went straight for him.

"Well done cousin," XS placing a hand on his shoulder, "you didn't look as stiff as the time you first walked through those doors."

"Give him a break XS. The ceremony just keeps on getting more grandeur every year. You didn't have to deal with all of that," Aunt Dawn said before ruffling his hair, "good job sport."

"We should get going," his mother said as they saw Nightwing and Superboy call over the young, "now you listen to Nightwing and Superboy or believe me, they will let us know."

"Oh, they would, right son?" his father said giving him a soft punch on the shoulder, "don't get your sister in trouble."

He only nodded before they left them to join the rest. Nightwing was already in speech mode and reminded them of the rules and some new while on the base. It seemed this time the Hall of Justice wasn't for show. It served as a base of operations along as a training facility for the young.

"Any questions before we get started?" Nightwing asked.

"When do we go on missions?" the kid dressed as a Robin asked before the Batman look alike sighed.

"There is always one," muttered Superboy before saying in a loud commanding voice, "you will go on missions when we believe you are ready. You have to hone your skills and learn how to use your powers before going to the field. Your chaperones should have informed you of this."

"I did," grumbled the Batman look alike.

They were led to a great hall where large statues stood on the sides. Superboy started telling them of the beginning of the League and some of the changes over time. A shiver ran through his spine; just how many of those heroes were still alive? Because according to what they were saying, this was the future. The place surely did feel like a museum. The first statues he recognized quickly as they were the members of the League, followed by members of the Team, but older looking, and then he only recognized a few because of their outfits. He saw his father and Aunt Dawn at some point. He started to see the young ones start pointing at some of them, especially their parents or someone they were related to.

"Hello there," a petite woman waited for them at the end of the hall. He wondered who she was related to. Her uniform consisted of a one-piece dark green bathing suit and fingerless gloves. Her hair was long and an extremely light shade of blonde. Her eyes were blue and piercing as she studied each one of them for a moment, "I am Aquagirl, and I will be showing the facilities. If you have questions, please save them for the end."

Aquagirl led them through the base. He had to guess it was just as big as the Watch Tower if not more. There were countless training rooms with coaches to help them. The technology helped make it clear he was no longer in the past. Still, he couldn't understand how he got there. Each one of them was assigned a mentor, usually someone that had similar or same skills as them. Zora was assigned to XS and seemed thrilled with this. He found through this that he was assigned to the Flash. However, he very much doubted it was his grandfather. The man would be in his seventies. Though they had mentors, the ones at charge of this overcrowded version of the Team were Superboy and Nightwing. They were the ones to give the main training sessions, and assign missions or tasks. The rest of their friends had since long ago moved on, but they remained there to guide the young.

The tour finally reached its end and they were being led to the dining hall to enjoy a feast with family and other members of the Team and the League. He was about to go along with the group when he realized Nightwing and Superboy were walking in the opposite direction. He told Zora to go with their family. He couldn't waste more time trying to understand where he was.

"Nightwing, Superboy," he called them before they turned to give him curious looks.

"You should stay close to your sister Kid Flash," Nightwing said dismissing him.

"I don't have a sister," he said before a baffled looked appeared on their faces.

"Now listen here you little punk-" Superboy made to grab him but he stepped back in time.

"Conner, I am not kidding. I have never had a sister and I have never been here before," he told them glad the group had moved along with Aquagirl. He didn't know how many of them have powers, but he wasn't taking his chances against them even if they were kids.

"How did you-? Are you spying on me?" Superboy growled as his face turned furious. He heard the walls crack around him.

"What? No! I don't understand what is going on. I just went along with hopes of understanding, but nothing makes sense. The last thing I remember before waking up here was that you, Robin, Blue and I went to my timeline to help against the Reach. You guys went back first, but when I tried to go back something happened," he said trying to pace his words for he had the feeling given the chance they would not listen to him twice.

"Kid, today is your sister's big day, don't ruin it," Nightwing said crossing his arms and in a deadpan. If he thought this was a joke, he didn't find it funny. He stared at them with an open mouth. His friends would never ignore him like that. They turned around and continued their way.

"I am not," he said falling on his knees, "God, this is so not crash, not crash at all."

"What did you say?" Nightwing stopped and hurried back to him.

"I said this is not crash, you know? Like this the most mode thing that could be happening to me," he said trying to not roll his eyes at them. Were they too old to know what crash meant?

"Where did you hear that?" Superboy asked pulling him up by his shoulders. He tried not to flinch, but Supes had a rough grip on him.

"What?" he asked as they shared concerned looks. Superboy released him and he rubbed his shoulder.

"No one here says Crash or Mode because the Reach couldn't invade us. The meaning is lost to those of this generation," Nightwing explained.

"So, you did meet me," he said to himself more than them.

"Not you, the Bart from a different future," Superboy said glowering him.

"But it was me! I appeared in the middle of Mount Justice and gave Gar, Tim and you a run for your money before I went to help gramps," he told them hoping they believed him.

"I thought you said you erased any record of him," Superboy said to Nightwing clearly not believing him.

"I did, unless Flash told him," Nightwing said with a pensive look.

"Flash wouldn't do that," Superboy said shaking his head, "he cares too much to put such a burden on a child."

"He didn't," he wanted to shout at them, "I came from a future where Blue was on mode to try to stop the invasion. It worked, and then I found out that my timeline still existed so like I said before we went to it and helped against the Reach. When I tried to go back, I woke up here. Don't you remember Conner? You went with Tim to free what remained of the League from the prison Rimbor put them on."

"The Bart Allen we knew disappeared after we disabled all the Reach's disruptors. His history was rewritten so that he, you never went to the past," Superboy said.

"But that isn't true," Bart said pulling at his hair, that didn't make any sense "I did stay and took the mantle of Kid Flash because of what happened to Wally. I wanted to honor him."

"Okay, stop right there," Nightwing said before looking at Superboy, "Can you check his mind?"

"By all means!" Bart said bowing his head, "just make sure to leave everything as you found it."

"Okay?" Superboy said before placing his hands on his temples. Bart felt pressure on his head and after a few minutes Superboy pulled back as if burned, "he is telling the truth."

"That's impossible," Nightwing said.

"Gha! What else do I have to do for you to believe me!" he couldn't hold it anymore, "you know what? I will talk to Blue and Rob instead. You guys have turned into such stubborn old men."

"Blue is off world," Superboy said, "and Red is in a mission."

"I can't believe this," muttered Bart before giving the two of them defying looks, "I want to talk to the League. You saw my memories; you know I am not lying."

"Someone could have put them there. It could be a trap," Superboy said crossing his arms.

"Right, because a fifteen-year-old could take on the whole League," Bart said rolling his eyes at them, "I am really feeling the mode now," he ran his hands through his hair fast, "And don't you dare to tell me to stay whelmed Dick. I know you and your bat brain from two different time lines."

"I will call the League," Superboy said. Nightwing seemed ready to protest, but the half Kryptonian raised his hands to silence him, "either way, something is going on with the kid. He might be telling the truth, or someone is tampering with the memories of the young."

"Alright," Nightwing said not looking one bit happy about it, "come with me kid. I need to get you a pass to the Watch Tower."

"Is there something wrong Nightwing?" they all froze where they were and turned to see his father standing there with a frown, "if he did something, I am here."

"We are holding a meeting at the Watch Tower," Nightwing said, "Kid Flash has brought us intel of importance."

"Why didn't you say anything before son?" Dan said frowning at his son, and then his eyes narrowed. Bart knew his father realized there was something different about him. He wasn't sure if this was another reality, but he guessed the Bart of that place didn't take things very seriously.

"Is hard to explain," Superboy said putting a hand on Kid's shoulder, "please advise your sister and the rest of your family. The meeting will start in thirty minutes."

Dan Allen hurried to spread the word to his family while Superboy went to inform the rest of the League. Nightwing led him to a room which required a code to enter. He realized then that he had only seen a handful of places like this. Most of the place was open for everyone. He worked on a computer that made Bart take mental notes. He wanted something just like it.

"Your name has been entered into the Zeta-Beam system. Anything you would like to say before we go?" he asked crossing his arms. The man still didn't believe him. Alternative world or not, it bothered him that the man that had helped raise him was so doubtful of him. What did he see when he looked at Bart? A lame copy of the kid that traveled in time, but for what other reason would he do this?

"You really don't remember me being there after we stopped the Reach's disruptors?" that's what kept bothering him. They had memories of him until they stopped the Reach, but what about the rest?

"No, for how long were you there?" Nightwing asked him.

"About a year and a half; it was a little while after Blue took down La Dama, and Superboy had moved to Metropolis with his new powers," he said hoping he would start to believe him, "while he was training at the farm Tim, Jaime, and I went to help him with some kids that kept throwing eggs at the house. Now, how would I know that?" did he have to draw pictures for him? He needed someone on his side to get them to believe him, but even Superboy seemed doubtful.

"It was Wally who went to help them," Nightwing told him as they started their way towards one of the Zeta-Beams.

"I guess for things to work out you would ne- wait! Wally made it back!?" okay… that he had not expected. He was glad, but still felt his heart beat a hundred beats per second.

"He will be in the meeting and he will clear this up; there is something very strange about what happened in that day. Believe me, you will also find it interesting," and the small smirk the man gave him made him breathe with more ease. He sort of believed him.

A few minutes later they were in the Watch Tower, but it barely resembled the Watch Tower that he knew. There used to be a couple of Zeta-beams before, but now there were floors of them. As they walked by a window, he saw the Watch Tower was more like a colony ten times bigger than the one he knew.

"I guess the League is a lot bigger now," he said feeling his heart accelerate again. He couldn't help looking at everything like a child in a toy store. There were so many things he wanted to check out. There were also heroes he couldn't recognize but wanted to know what they could do.

Nightwing remained quiet the whole while as he led him to a large room. It reminded Bart of the chamber of the U.N. with the podium below and the listeners stacked up. He wondered just how many members of the League were now.

"Only the senior member and family will assist," Nightwing told him as they stood on the stage.

"That still a lot, isn't?" he asked with a nervous smile. Something about standing before the League made him fidgety. He wondered if this Bart had been in this position before.

"More than forty years ago? Yes," Nightwing said bringing him a chair to sit, "you still want to go on with this?"

"Is not like I want to, but I have to. If something shifted in time, or if this just a trick, I need to know if I have to do something," he said running a hand through his messy hair. It felt like he was doing this more and more in frustration. He hated being confused.

"Why? The Bart I knew back then lost everyone close to him in his time. Wouldn't you prefer this life?" Nightwing said crouching in front of him.

"Hahaha, nice try, that's just what a fake Mr. Grayson would say. The man that raised me taught me well to be wary of things like that," he said closing his eyes. Looking at him hurt.

"I only knew you for a few months," Nightwing said with a frown.

"But I knew you in my time. You looked after me when my dad and aunt were taken by the Reach. Well, that's until Blue killed you, then I was mostly on my own," he said keeping his eyes closed. Hadn't the half hour already passed? "I wished I could have told you they weren't dead; they were only put on pots to exploit their powers. But since you didn't have any active metagenes they ordered Blue just to kill you."

"You never told me that," he heard as Nightwing stood straight and stepped back. The man couldn't hide what he just heard bothered him.

"It would have been awkward, and I know most were already awkward around me. They tried to hide it, but without meaning to they were treating me as if I was broken. They knew that the place where I came from was hell, but I kept smiling. Even after all was done, I kept the act up. I think it would have been worse if they saw the real me. Blue, Rob, and Supey were of the few who I could be my true self around. It is really mode that they probably don't remember."

"They were your closest friends?"

"Yeah," he said opening his eyes and cursed because a tear slipped down his cheek, "dammit, not crash at all."

"Are you okay son?" his father appeared before him, "what happened?" he took his son in his arms and embraced him. This only made more tears spill. God, how he wished this was all real.

"He will tell everyone when they make it to the meeting," Nightwing said placing a hand on Dan's shoulder.

"This is my son you are talking about Nightwing, you can't-"

"I am not," Bart said pushing him back. Dan gave him a confused look, "just listen to the rest, and then decide if you still want to call me your son."

"Bart…" he tried to reach for him

"You heard me! I am not repeating myself again old man," he cleared his tears away, "please, just listen."

Dan turned to Nightwing, who was staring at Bart with a dissecting look, "do as he says Dan. Everything will become clear when we explain but be assured this boy is your son."

"Alright," Dan said before going to take one of the first-row seats.

"Thank you," Bart whispered.

"Don't mention it," Nightwing said, "just go easy on them. They are still your family."

He wanted to add he hadn't known more than half of them until that day but didn't say more. More members of the League started to arrive. He watched the front seats be left empty for the big guns probably. Starting the second row, it was free game. Most chose to sit farther back and started chatting. How were the kids? Did you hear who did what? They didn't care much to listen to a child. They probably thought he had done a big no, no and was in trouble. He wasn't guessing. Their eyes told him everything. Did these people know anything about keeping appearances? He leaned back in the chair and crossed his arms over his chest. He would let them think he was in trouble just to watch them gasp for air when they heard the truth.

"Idiots, all of them," he muttered under his breath, but not low enough to keep Nightwing, who was standing next to him from hearing. Nightwing gave him a questioning look, "what? Or are you going to tell me they don't act like a bunch of patronizing capes? They act the same way that idiot Godfrey used to talk about us? The League never took anything brought to them for granted."

"Some of them have super hearing," he said glancing at some of them who were now looking at them.

"Good, I hope they tell their friends that the League used to take meetings like this seriously. Isn't there anyone to teach that? Bats never allowed us to lower our guard like that," Bart said meeting their eyes one by one. He wasn't a bit shaken, which brought their attention to him. He hoped he still got to see them gasp when they heard what he had to say.

"I wanted to say that for a long time," Nightwing said with a smirk.

He didn't say another word and tried to keep his expression serious as the big hitters started to arrive. Superman was still there with some gray on the sides, but other than that looked the same. Wonder Woman looked just the same, which brought some questions into mind. A Green Lantern, who he had never seen, he was probably around his age. The young man he had seen in the ship dressed as Batman, which opened a lot of questions. Aquagirl who was being accompanied by a tall man dressed similarly to Hawkman, a lot more questions there.

"Flash will be in late," Superboy said flying to the front of the room.

"Figures," the man dressed Hawkman-alike had said before some laughed.

"You said this was important Superboy, and though I saw Kid Flash was not acting like himself this morning, that is not enough reason to call us in," Batman said before Bart wondered if he was as young as he thought he initially was.

"Better?" Nightwing asked him.

"Much better," Kid Flash said standing.

"Wait a second Kid Flash," Superboy said placing a hand on his shoulder, and then said to the League "there is something that many of you don't know about an event forty years ago. Back when the Reach tried to invade the planet. For those of you who didn't take the time to study on the invasions of the past fifty years the Reach had control over Blue Beetle and tried to use him to gain the trust of the people of Earth."

"They did for a while," the young Green Lantern said, "if I am correct most of the League was off the planet at the time, and so were the Lanterns. It fell on the Team's shoulders. Both of you were involved."

"All true, but the League members at that time and the Team agreed to hide a crucial fact as to maintain anyone else from trying it again," Nightwing said, "there was a time traveler that came to warn us. He came from around this year, but in his time line the Reach had stayed and Blue Beetle had remained under their control and betrayed humankind. The time traveler was Impulse, or also known to us as Kid Flash." Those who hadn't bothered to be listening before were now staring intensely at him. Some even tried to invade his thoughts. He returned the breach by thinking of pie to the millionth number. They flinched and backed off after that. "Feeling like crashing the mode?" Nightwing asked they took in the shocked expression.

"You already know I crash all modes," he said smirking as he finally got his chance to speak. He gave himself a second to get in character and the said in a loud, cheerful voice, "Alright people! Let me introduce myself. My name is Bart Allen, grandson of the Flash. Some of you knew me as Impulse, so it's fine if you want to call me that, or Kid, or KF, or Bart, or the kids that just won't shut up. But, you probably already knew that but let me do this for the sake of my sanity. I am seriously wondering if this all real if is not whoever is doing it is really going to feel the mode and I really mean it. I only recognize some of you from forty years ago so my bad if I don't say hi. By the way, Supey, that hair cut looks ridiculous."

"Bart!" he heard his father and aunt shout at the same time.

"Now, don't get your tights in a bunch. These guys knew me back then. They know I mean no harm… or do I? You should see the look on your faces. I know I should be taking this seriously, but that has never helped me before. So, I am going to right out and say it; I don't believe any of this is real just like these two don't think my memories are true." He pointed at Nightwing and Superboy, "so, here we stand; the greatest heroes in the world and a time traveler. What are we going to do people, aliens, or whatever that guys is?"


	15. Awakening

FOLLOWING THE EVENTS OF_** '**_**A ROBIN, RED ROBIN 3.'**

Kid Flash's Not so Easy Path 15

"Bart?" his father seemed ready to go to him.

"Don't," he said with a shaken smile, "like I said, I don't know if this is real. It would be so crash if it were, but I will not jump into this, whatever this is, without further proof."

"Neither will we," Nightwing said addressing the whole crowd, "Superboy has already examined his memories and they all match with what he claims. However, we worry someone might have implanted those memories in him. The Impulse we knew disappeared when we defeated the Reach while he claims that he stuck around for another year and a half after this."

"I travelled back to my timeline with others to help against the Reach when Enchantress informed me my timeline still existed. When I tried to come back something happened," Kid Flash told them as his act started to slip. "I am told the first Kid Flash didn't disappear in that event like he did in what I experienced. If this has anything to do with a change in the timeline, it would be that. I took the role of Kid Flash after his disappearance."

There was a long silence following his words. He had lived in another timeline and he knew it would take them some time to understand it.

"The League would have never approved of you travelling in time again," Wonder Woman was the one to break that silence. "Even back then, time travel was extremely forbidden."

"I did not ask for your consent," Bart said unable to help his smirk. "We did it against your wishes; Blue, Rob, Supey, and I. The four of us were able to create a new time machine. It was one that would only work once and would pull us back home, big surprise there, right? I did it to save my timeline, to save my friend Blue, and also ended up saving my family which I believed dead. If you are expecting at any point some type of apology, then let me tell you now that you will have none." He didn't realize when, but he was sneering at them.

"Insolent child!" he heard someone shout.

"Calm down dude," Bart said getting back into his act after taking a fraction of a second to get hold of his temper, "I am just telling it as it is. Now let's stop the chitchat of what was already done and let's get back to business. I want to know what happened for me to be here. In case I need take precaution against another time shift, or to escape this place if it turns out to be a complete and utter mother of mode."

"You will have to wait for Flash to be here. He kept some details from us," Superboy said when no one else had anything to say.

"Flash?" he asked.

"Wally," Nightwing explained with one word.

"Oh… Ohh! I guess I should have expected that. But what about his muscles? Weren't they-"

"Let him explain it to you," Superboy said sounding a little tired.

"Fine, fine," Bart had said before he looked at Superboy, "can I get some drawing boards? Actually, I will be back in a flash."

"Ugh!"

"He did not just say that."

"The grand-apple doesn't fall far from the tree."

He was back with the some drawing boards he found and started drawing the formulas and intertwined timelines. He muttered to himself as he wrote formulas. Very few of them could start making sense of them. They whispered, but he didn't really listen to them. He concentrated on his work. He had to make sense of things. Though his thoughts ran a thousand times faster than those of an ordinary human, he still couldn't figure it out. Something had happened with Wally that saved him, which he hoped was true, but what? He thought back on that day and nothing pointed to something could have been different. It wasn't the first time he thought of this, which made it even more frustrating.

"So you don't remember this," Someone said showing him what seemed to be some type of armband.

Without thinking, he took it apart and put it back together. He did it again and knew he had made it. It was exactly as he would have done it had he had the chance. It generated a barrier that would have protected Wally from the shocks of the disruptor and kept him from being absorbed into the speed force.

"Does that help?" the man who handed him the armband asked him before he turned to see him. Though already in his sixties, he knew this semi-white haired man was Wally. He wore the same red suit his grandfather had worn. Not one bit had been changed.

"Glad to know baldness doesn't run in the family," he said with a short laugh, "how did you get this Wall-Man?"

"You gave it to me brat," Wally smiled ruffling his hair just like in the old days. Wally didn't doubt his words for a moment, "back in France after we finished with that disruptor from the Reach you appeared dressed like me and you also looked older. You told me to wear it and not to ask any questions before you disappeared. I thought you were doing your time travelling thing again. I knew I would get the chance to ask you someday. Who would have thought it would take forty years. Sort of crash seeing you now."

"So I time travelled again and gave this to you. But, I sort of don't remember any of it," but the armband was definitely his design.

"Well, from looking at this," Wally said studying his timelines. Then, he took a marker and connecting the missing dots, "you probably gained the knowledge to construct this in your timeline, right?" he asked before Bart couldn't help to nod. How he could have forgotten, Wally had been so brilliant. "That is probably the modification that changed your original timeline and turned it into this one; the reason why you can't recall anything afterwards from that point. Instead of taking you back to the past, your new machine took you to this new timeline with all your original memories."

"This could be a trick," he said, the dots connected too well.

"Could definitely be, after all, the life we lead is not an easy one," he told Bart with a sigh. "You of all people know how difficult it can be so I don't blame you for doubting what you are experiencing right now."

"This has gone for long enough!" Dan stood up and marched up to them, "my son has never done anything so irresponsible!"

"That's why I told you to listen to the end to know if you still wanted to call me your son," Bart told him with an apologetic smile. He looked directly at his father in the eye and said "I don't know how the I of your time is like, but that's not me. I grew up in an entirely different place. There are so many things I want to tell you about what I have seen. But, I fear it will make you hate me because if this is real, the son you knew will never come back."

His father opened his mouth to say something but was stopped by his aunt placing a hand on his shoulder. He didn't need to hear him say it to know he wanted the Bart he knew back. The Bart that he was now, the jaded time traveler, he wanted him gone.

"We will meet again in two days," Superman said in a calm tone knowing things would get out of hand if the meeting were to continue. Some of the League members looked unsettled by what they heard. He was glad the man was still around to talk sense into them, "there are a lot of issues with this information we all need to think about relating to what we have just heard."

No one went against his words and they started to empty the meeting room until only those of his family remained.

"I can take him with me if you like," Wally told his father.

"I agree with him," Bart said raising his hand. "As crash as all this is," he said unable to stop himself from rolling his eyes, "I believe some time apart will do us some good."

"No," Dan said, "I am still your father, and you will come home with me."

"Dan, I really think-" Wally had grown to be a wise man, thought Bart. He deserved to be the Flash.

"It's fine Wally," Bart said stopping him, "I don't want to cause any more trouble."

"Could have fooled me from what I remember," Wally said with a sigh.

"Really? I would have thought at your age you could barely remember what you had for breakfast," Bart said with a short laugh, "stay in contact Wall-Man."

"You bet," and with that his cousin was gone leaving him with three very concerned speedsters.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Bart asked them, "I might have built a few time machines, but I still don't like to waste time."

"That isn't funny," XS said with a deep frown.

"Really? I will come up with a better one next time," he said stretching, "but I am done for the day!"

"I will call you later sis," Dan said as he led Bart to the Zeta Beams.

888

He was more than thankful for their speed for it took them a few seconds to get _home. _There was no chance for them to talk one word. It was nighttime when his father opened the front door. His mother and _sister_ rushed to them with worried expressions.

"Everything is fine," Dan said with a smile, "Bart just had to deliver some important information to the League. I wish I could tell you more sweethearts but the less you know, the better."

"I imagined as much," Meloni, his mother said with a resigned smile, "is no wonder you didn't say a word about it. You must have been so stressed, right sweetie?" She reached for him, but he ducked down and to the side.

"It wasn't so bad," he said with a smile, "I just couldn't find the chance to tell them with all that was going on. I didn't want to ruin my little sister's big day."

"Who are you and what have you done with my son," Meloni laughed as Zora hugged Bart. He saw his father flinch from the side but didn't comment.

They went on to have a normal family dinner. The closest he ever had to a family dinner was when his grandparents, the Garricks and the Wests got together every other month. The Garricks were probably gone by then; probably the same for the Wests. He wondered about his grandparents but decided to ask his father when his mother and sister were out of earshot. He smiled and nodded as Zora chatted on about her day, about the new friends she made, of all the people she met.

"Time for dessert!" he snapped out of his thoughts when his mother started placing plates in front of them. It was chocolate on top of more chocolate, with chocolate frosting. He recalled the time his aunt Dawn brought him a simple cupcake. It had been the most delicious thing he had ever tasted. As he took a bite of the cake, he felt his barriers break down.

"Is there something wrong son?" his mother asked. Those were words he probably heard from her before she died protecting him. His father had barely made it in time to save him from a Reach attack but had been too late for his mother. That was the time Dan decided to not be part of the rebellion anymore. He dedicated his every waking moment to protecting his son until he was taken by the Reach.

"I am just a little tired," he said getting up. He couldn't even get half the cake down. "I will be in my room."

"Just let me know if you don't feel well," his mother said with such a worried expression that he felt his gut wrench.

"I…I will," he said as he made eye contact with his father. If this were real, he would understand that this was painful to him. His father knew and gave him a small nod, but then couldn't meet his eyes.

In his room, he sat on his bed but only for a moment. He would not fall into that pattern again. It would be useless to think about the past again. He had to move on. Everything in that room was a distraction, so he took advantage of it. He worked on every invention in that room. As he did so, he realized many of them were abandoned works, but not anymore. He was working on a transportation device that would render the Zeta Beams (for within Earth use) obsolete when he heard his door open. He stopped and turned to look at his father.

"Is one in the morning," Dan said.

"Not tired, but if I making too much noise I will be done… right now," Bart said as he removed his yellow visors. "So, we are not telling them?"

"You don't know them," Dan said.

"We both know you don't want to hear it," Bart told him changing from into a pair of pajamas. "Oh, by the way, that's a prototype for a transporter. If it works, the League and the Team will be able to transport to just about anywhere in the world without having to install more Zeta Beams."

Dan walked to the transporter and started to examine it, "I thought you had given up on it."

"And I probably gave up on half the stuff I just completed," Bart couldn't help laughing. "You spoiled me, didn't you? I don't know if I should be jealous or thankful."

"Bart," his father said sitting next to him on the bed, "I am sorry if I didn't react appropriately when you brought this up to the League. I just wished you would have told me first. You trust me, right?"

"I trust my father," Bart said, "but I am not sure you are him. I still have my doubts about what is going on."

"But I am your father. I saw you learn to walk, talk and then run faster than any other kid in the block. I saw you win countless science fairs, become part of the Team, and… and…"

"The life I led is different," he told him in a calm tone. "Is the life you never wanted for me, but it happened nonetheless."

"Tell me," Dan said clenching his hands on the cloth of is pants.

"What?" Bart looked at him trying to see if he was joking.

"Tell me about what happened to you. I feel like I don't know my own son, and I hate it. I need you to tell me what happened to you," Dan told him frowning.

"You know you are not going to like it," Bart said looking down at his hands.

"Don't treat me like a child; I am still your father and a hero at the top of that. Whatever can tell me, I can stand it," Dan said in a stern voice.

"Don't say I didn't warn you," Bart said before taking a deep breath, "I guess I should tell you from the beginning, forty years ago when I didn't interfere." He thought back on the history his aunt and Mr. Grayson told him. "Before grandma could tell gramps that she was pregnant with you and Aunt Dawn, he died fighting a metahumans who was later known as Neutron. He was part of a series of experiments to exploit the metagenes, but also to get Gramps out of the way as he was not part of the group that was taken off planet five years before then. The League was accused of attacking a planet while under the control of an organization known as the Light. With Gramps and the League out of the way only the Team remained. The Reach got hold of Blue and they fixed his scarab so that he was under their control. As he played the good Reach soldier, he also started taking metahumans to the Reach and disabling the Team one member at the time. It was too late for most when they realized he was a mole. Mr. Grayson figured this in time and had grandma taken into protection. She gave birth to the two of you in a secret location where you and Aunt Dawn grew up watching the Earth be taken by the Reach. When you two were teenagers, you became part of the rebellion. That's where you met mom though the exact circumstances are unknown to me. For years, you fought side by side against the Reach…"

He went through all that he remembered and with each word he felt as if a weight was lifting off his shoulders. This was the first time he ever told anyone the whole story. He told him of his oldest memories, waking up one day and finding him gone. Being told he went to fight the Reach and then find out he was never coming back. Of the time he ran away from his Aunt Dawn in anger at all speed and then falling and breaking his bones. He told him of when she was taken from him. He also told him about the time he watched the Beetle kill Mr. Grayson. He told him everything he lived until he met Neutron and started working on his first time machine.

"When I travelled in time I knew that I couldn't let them know what happened right away. There were many missing pieces back then, but I knew that one of the first things I had to do was to save grandpa. Back then, I thought that's what needed to be done to change the future. If only," he laughed but his father didn't share his humor.

He went on to the tell him of his months with the Team, how he befriended Blue and learned he was a really nice guy. He kept going into the odd hours of the night on how he found out his timeline still existed. How he with his friends constructed a new time machine and went to his time to save them. Told him of when they found the metahumans were still alive and probably he too. He went on to tell him how they rescued him and their family before going into the decisive battle. In the end, he told him of how he was stuck in their time and started the reconstruction before deciding that it was best for him to return to the past. Then there he was.

The birds were singing when he finished and his father didn't say a word. He stood up and left the room. Of course, he was going to need time to digest it all, and he didn't blame him for it. Bart lied on his bed and moments later he was asleep. That heavy weight was off his shoulder and so his dreams were peaceful. He wasn't sure if they were memories or wishful thinking, but he saw how his life was in that time. He was a troublesome child, but a happy child nonetheless. The life of a hero wasn't for him, but he did it to make his family happy. They didn't know this. He decided that when he turned into an adult he would quit and live an ordinary life and hope they understood.

Through the dreams, he saw the life he could have. Family and friends close to him, supporting him, caring for him, and his laughter was no longer forced, his smiled weren't fake. He had the mother he didn't remember and sister that could have been. He saw all those who died in battle have families and also be happy; the world living in harmony and peace. It was a beautiful life, the one that he always hoped for after he went to help in the past.

When he woke up, it was because his mother was checking his temperature. He had slept until midday and this worried her. The smile he gave her was real and somehow she understood in her heart that he loved her more than ever. She passed a hand through his tangled hair as he held to her for dear life. He fell asleep into slumber in her arms again and this time he didn't dream. His mind and heart were at peace.

"Bart?" he opened his eyes and saw his father kneeling before him with a worried expression, "are you okay?"

"Yeah," he said sitting up. He saw the clock on his nightstand say it was three in the afternoon.

"You have visitors," Dan said scratching the back of his neck, "get cleaned up and come out to see them."

Bart bathed and dressed in a fresh set of clothes before going to the back of the house where he could hear chatter going on. When he stepped out, he spotted Blue talking with Superboy and a man in his mid-fifties. He didn't have to guess who he was before rushing to them.

"We have been monitoring the kid all this time. Why now of all times did this happen?" the older looking man asked.

"You saw those timelines he drew and he knew quite a few things only we knew," Superboy said sounding as if he had repeated this more times than he cared to remember.

"I still don't believe it," Blue said with arms crossed. Bart knew that stance; it was the stance of him not listening to anyone. But, he knew how to break through it.

"Tim!" he said embracing his old friend at once, "this is so crash! Not the part of you being old, that's totally mode but is crash you are still around! We get to finish our marathon of old horror eighty movies."

"Told you it was him," Superboy said as Bart released the old man that was giving him a squinting look.

"I will be the judge of that," Blue said with his arms crossed. Bart was a little surprised to see he wasn't as muscular as the Beetle he knew from his original time, but he was still imposing.

"_Hermano! _No need to get jealous. If you want, we can go blow up some stuff up afterwards. It will be just like in the old days!"

"Bart!" his father was mortified. These three men were some of the best from the League. Hell, he wasn't on first name basis with any of them and his son was talking to them as if they were old friends.

"My _hombre_ Blue here doesn't mind. Actually… here you go. I owe it to you, remember?" he was gone and back in a short moment before handing Blue a bag.

"A bag of Chicken Wizzes? I haven't seen one of those in years" Tim asked sharing a confused look with Superboy, who just shrugged.

"Chicken what?" Dan asked.

"I thought they didn't make them anymore," Blue said looking at the bag with wide eyes. Then he looked at Bart with a frown, "it really is you."

"You bet. It took me like two whole seconds to find them," Bart said as he ate them.

"Hey!" Blue looked that his hands were already empty.

"What?" he asked with a mouthful, "I can get you another one in a moment. I am an excellent scavenger, remember?"

"You mean you are sneaky little thieve," Blue laughed before his armor started to fold back. "You haven't changed one bit."

He heard his father gasp as a Latin-American man in his mid-thirties was revealed. He looked like the Beetle they had freed from Reach control, without the haunted look in his eyes.

"Even in this time Khaji Da is extending your life?" he asked not showing one bit of surprise.

"Is hard to find someone compatible with him, not that I mind," Jaime said taking the bag of Chicken Whizzes from him, "I believe those are mine."

"Do you still remember what I told you about taking food from me?" Bart said glaring at him.

"I think I can handle a skinny shrimp like you," Jaime said as his armor covered him again, "especially one that can't fly."

"Ha! Like that stopped me last time," Bart said flexing his arms.

"We better step back," Tim told Dan, who was looked anxious, "you better protect the house too, Superboy. He is probably stronger than the last time they did this."

"No need to tell me twice," Superboy said creating a barrier around them.

"Bart, what are you doing?" Dan asked starting to panic.

"In your marks," Bart wasn't listening.

"Set," Blue said taking flight.

"Go!" shouted Tim before Bart started rotating his arms at fast speed creating tornados that chased after Blue in the sky.

"You have gotten slow!" Bart had laughed before he started turning his arms even faster. "I thought Khaji Da was keeping you from getting old!"

"Do you ever shut up!" Blue shouted, but he was still laughing as he dodged the tornados the best he could though too many times he came close to getting captured.

"Give me the Chicken Whizzes back and there is a chance!" Bart laughed loudly.

"For like ten seconds until you finish them off!" Blue shouted with a smile.

"He already ate them all!" Tim shouted.

"Revenge!" Bart started spinning his arms and started running in a circle creating a tornado.

"Tim!" Blue shouted as he fought the pull of the wind.

"You are acting like kids," Superboy said, but he was also laughing.

"I am a kid!" Bart said stopping with a broad smile on his face. "You are the ones that have gotten old!" he threw a punch into the air at super-fast speed creating a force that hit Blue on one of his wings before he went down.

"Oh God," Dan said running a hand through his hair. So that's where he got that from, Bart thought as they hurried to where Blue had fallen.

"Hahahaha," the found him laughing in a crater without his armor, "that was new."

"I guess you didn't hear the part about me living in your time a little longer than you remember," Bart said offering him a hand before helping his old friend up. "But I guess you didn't come here to confirm it was really me, right?"

"I never really got to thank you for helping me," Blue said after clearing his throat, "you just disappeared and well…"

"What are friends for?" Bart said patting him on the back, "but it would be very welcome if you got some of those cookies your mom used to make."

"I will bring you a batch next time we meet," Jaime shook his head in disbelief, "we better get going. I haven't delivered my report to the League."

"You are part of the League?" he asked Blue as he had trouble making sense of those words.

"What did you expect?" Blue asked with a short laugh.

"I… I don't know," he said a pulsing sensation started in the back of his head.

"Bart?" he heard Tim ask before everything around him changed

_He was standing in front of the League and the Team side by side with Robin, Superboy and Blue. He was speaking to the League, explaining to them what he had been doing in his own time for the few months he was there._

"_The League besides helping keeping the order are also consultants to the world leaders. The involvement with the new government is kept to a minimum as a form of respect. The only exception to this is when it comes to handling dangerous metahumans. As of how I got back, my father and I built a new time machine which we agreed would be dismantled as soon as I made it to this time and they got back."_

"_So, you found the safe way to travel in time?" the Atom asked._

"_No, because no such thing exists," he told them. Some of the Leaguers were ready to question him, but he raised his hand to stop them, "I really mean it; I will take it with me to the grave."_

"_Is there anything else you want to say before we make our decision," Batman asked them._

"_Yes," Superboy stepped forwards. All eyes turned to him. He and their friends could only look at his wide back as he prepared himself to say those words they had agreed on during the break._

"_Well?" the Batman said centering his gaze on him._

"_You don't need to make any decisions regarding us," Conner said looking at each one of the League members, "because we quit. We are now independent agents and no longer require your approval for what we do. We are thankful for all you have taught us, but we have a different vision of what we can do for the world. We will be taking our leave now, but if you require our assistance we will be more than happy to provide it."_

_Then silence rained in the meeting room. He and Tim were the first ones to turn around and leave the room. He begged Blue in his mind to not change his mind. Then he heard Superboy speak to their friend in a friendly tone._

"_Let's go, we have plenty to talk about," Superboy said before he heard them turn and follow them. A knot in his stomach was gone as they walked a few steps behind them. They were a team now, and he couldn't be happier they were his teammates._

"Son?" the memory went away and he saw his father's worried face.

"You did go back," Superboy said kneeling next to him where he had collapsed. No wonder they all looked so tall.

"I did," the memories started to flow back, but suddenly stopped the night after Blue, Booster and him fought Grodd. "Wally was wrong, things changed at another point or all of this is a lie."

"Trust us Bart, this is all real," Superboy said with a sigh, "so, we all quit the Team and the League?"

"What?" the three adult men around him asked in shock.

Superboy went on to explain to them what he had seen in Bart's memories.

"Another group of heroes? That would have ended in a disaster," Blue said looking as lost as he remembered him in the memory.

"I don't know, I sort of like the idea," Tim said with a devious smile.

"This is no time to joke Red," Superboy said before turning back to him, "Bart, all that is over. You are living here and now. You mustn't let that part of your life distract you from what is important now; you get to live a happy life."

"I was the one that lived it," Bart told him with a frown, "is not like I can just forget about it."

"But I can help you with that," Superboy said taking hold of him by his shoulders, "I sensed the memories of the Bart of this time are there. We could keep your awareness of what happened in the past, but nothing more than that. You wouldn't have to carry that burden anymore and just live the happy life you worked so hard to get."

"If I recall correctly, mind scrambling was the reason why you broke up with Miss Martian," he said pulling back from him. It had felt good to tell his father of what happened, and that had helped him realize it hadn't all been so bad. He had good times too and he didn't want to forget them. Actually, he didn't want to forget his struggles too. They were what made him so strong now. He knew he could face just about anything without flinching.

"I completely forgot about that," Blue said before Tim rolled his eyes at him.

"Bart, you wouldn't have to fake anymore. You would be authentically happy," Superboy said, "please, if not for you do it for your family. Dan told us your mother and sister don't know a thing, but for how long would you be able to keep the act. Unlike what you like to think, you are not that good of an actor."

"Yeah, that was Salad Head's thing," Bart said before he started stretching, "how is he by the way?"

"Salad Head?" Tim asked.

"Garfield," Blue explained.

"Of right, he used to be green," Tim said before getting odd looks from Dan.

"This is not a game Bart," Superboy insisted.

"I know that. I don't want to forget," Bart said quietly.

"This way you wouldn't have to worry about what the League decides to do. You won't have the knowledge to travel in time anymore," Superboy said keeping his tone calm, but Bart could tell he was starting to get upset by the way he fought his expression.

"You saw my memories, and if is no longer valid to you, then I will say it again. I quit the League and the Team. What I do is no longer of your concern," he stopped stretching and crossed his arms. It was fine if they wanted to be part of the League, but he didn't want to be under their thumb anymore. He wanted freedom.

"You can't do that!" his father said stepping up to him, "I forbid it!"

"Spare the parental love," Bart said with a sharp smile, "I am not going to let anyone mess with my mind or my memories."

Then, he was gone. He ran away from them and saw the new world. Everything was beautiful, it wasn't perfect, but it was as close as it would get. He knew they would come after him, but he didn't care. He wouldn't listen to them judge him anymore. After all he did for them; he had earned the right to go unjudged. His friends were still sort of his friends, even if it was just in his memories, but he wouldn't forget them. He refused even if his family wanted otherwise.

His vision had become blurry before he whipped his tears away. He stopped on a small island in the middle of the sea and collapsed there. They would find him any moment now. He could sense it in the air. They would force him to forget but like hell he was going to make it easy.

Another memory blurred his sight and as he watched it play out he laughed.

_They were sitting in front of a feast, across from them the Red Hood, Arsenal and Starfire stood. There was a banner hung with messy letters that read, 'Congratulations on Leaving Those Stuck up A-Holes.'_

"_I told you it was all a rouse," Superboy said looking at the banner with aversion._

"_Then, a partnership is out of the question," Jason said with a not so serious sigh._

"_Told you so," Arsenal said, "They are cookie-cutter copies. This is just their rebellious phase; they all go through it. They will be back to the League in a few months just like Nightwing."_

"_Now, now, the Outsiders had a good run," Jason said with a smirk before it fell away when he saw Starfire's not so bright expression. He turned to them with a gentler smile, "however you kids want to see it, we just wanted to wish you the best of luck. We, all of us, know is not easy to be on your own."_

_The confetti started to dissolve in the air into a gas. Tim pulled a gas mask on. Blue generated one from his suit for him, and since Superboy didn't need to breathe the only thing they had to worry about was fending the Outlaws off until they could leave that damn island._

"_Not bad at all," Jason said wearing his red helmet again. Starfire, as they had thought didn't need to breathe, or at least could go without air for a while. Arsenal had a mask over his face too._

"_Superboy," Tim said before Superboy gave the Outlaws a cold stare._

_The room started to shake as Superboy forced his senses around them. His eyes shone red as he pushed his powers around them and started ripping a hole on the side of the ship._

"_I wouldn't do that if I were you," Arsenal said stepping back._

"_Try to stop me," Superboy said before they saw Arsenal flinch._

"_Superboy stop," Tim said, but it was too late._

_Starfire had seemed calm if not indifferent to everything going on around her, but the moment Superboy ripped a hole on the ship her lips turned into a tight line and her eyes started to shine green. A moment later she had blasted him into a wall before tackling him with immense strength. They didn't even hear him gasp as she took him out of the ship. A few seconds later shock waves made the ship tremble._

"_No one can say I didn't warn him," Arsenal said as he drew an arrow and pointed it at him. "Now you three behave like good pampered brats and do as we say."_

"_Riiiight," Blue said generating his stapler gun and pointing it at Arsenal._

"_This is too easy," the Red Hood said before throwing something on the feast's table. It was a metallic sphere that started vibrating._

"_Wha-" Blue Beetle's staple gun fell apart to pieces before he started holding his head in pain._

"_Hold bud," he reached for the sphere._

"_Kid don't!" Tim shouted at him, but it was too late. _

"_Ahhh!" the sphere ran a shock through his body before everything went dark._

"What's so funny?" he looked at up at the older version of his friend Blue standing next to him with a worried expression. He was soon joined by Conner and Tim.

"All of this is fake," he answered between spurts of laughter.

"Bart…" his friends sat next to him.

"It's fine," he said whipping the tears away from his eyes, "I will wake up in a moment. I can already feel it. I just wish I had taken longer to realize it. I sort of wanted to spend a little more time with my family, or at least more time with Wally or my grandpa, or you guys. I guess I wanted a lot more than I thought." He finished with a forced smile before remembering he didn't need to act with them. He smiled, but it was a small smile.

"Even in your dreams you speak too much," Superboy said ruffling his hair.

"I am happy it didn't take much to convince you guys," Bart told them.

"You are our friend, why would we doubt you?" Blue said.

"I am raiding your house after this for those cookies," Bart told him with a smirk.

"You can still make a future like this one. You have forty years to help make it and our help," Tim told him.

"I will keep that in mind," he said before taking a deep breath.

"We will always be a team," was the last thing he heard.

888

When he woke up, he saw Conner's and Blue's worried expression hovering over him. He heard laughter and realized he was the one laughing.

"I really like this kid," he heard the Red Hood say from somewhere in the room as his memories started to come back. He had agreed to this, and he didn't regret it.

"What was so funny?" Conner asked as he sat up.

"Your hair was funny," Bart said, "if you ever decide to cut, you better make sure to talk to me first."

"Alright?" Conner said with a raised eyebrow.

"I feel cheated," Blue said crossing his arms, "I got to fight a Reach army, and he wakes up laughing?"

"If you want you can give it another go," Arsenal said.

"Thank but no thanks," Blue said with a visible shiver.

"Only little Tim is left," Red Hood said standing by his friend's bed and leaning down, "he looks so innoce-"

"I will kill you!"

The next moment Tim had leaped from the bed and tackled the Hood down before he started strangling hm.

"Okay, he definitely doesn't get another go!" Bart said as they pried the young hero off the Red Hood.


	16. Chapter 16

Kid Flash's Not so Easy Path 16

He placed the last box in the small apartment in Star City. The girl who the League was helping was unpacking things and only gave glances his way. He wasn't sure what her story was, but the League had gone to great lengths to protect her. She was being guarded by no other that Green Arrow and Black Canary. It seemed she was involved in some mess in Metropolis too, for which she had given her testimony and might be called to court as a witness. Superman, as far as he understood had been the one to save her. After the League had run a background check on her, they found she was involved in something even more severe.

"You can go, I can unpack on my own," she said still keeping her distance from him.

"That wouldn't be very gentlemanly of me to do," he said giving her one of his best smiles.

"You don't have to act around me," she said opening another box, "I will tell your boss you insisted, but I refused."

"My boss?" he wondered if his smiles weren't just that good anymore.

"Superman," she said quietly.

"Crash guy, but not my boss," he said with a raised eyebrow. Did she think Superman ran the whole thing?

"Well the League then," she said with a small blush.

"I am not with the League," he explained.

"Then why are you doing this?" she asked with a suspicious frown.

"Because I want to, dhu," he said before he started unpacking everything so fast she had to stand back, "there." He said after everything was put in place.

"Then you don't know about me?"

"Name is Mia, right?" the girl nodded, "I know the League is looking after you, but regarding what I have no idea. As I said, I am not with the League. They just asked me to help with the moving since they don't trust the conventional means because of whatever your situation is and the Flash is busy. If you want to share, I am all ears."

"Oh," she said sitting on the new looking couch but didn't say more.

"If you don't want to tell me, I won't ask," he said recognizing a troubled soul when he saw one.

"I already told the League all I know," she said looking down.

"I understand, then I will be taking my leave, I hope everything goes alright," he said walking to the door.

"I was a whore," she said before he even reached it.

"Ehm, I know I sort of said I would listen. But, I don't think I am the right person to talk to about your personal life," where was Black Canary when you needed her?

"No, no, what I meant to say I was a prostitute," she said her face turning multiple shades of red.

"Sorry you were pushed to that life," was all he could say. He knew she probably didn't need anyone judging her.

"Do you think guys would still like me if they knew?" she asked looking up at him with teary eyes.

"It depends on the guy, I suppose," he sat next to her.

"What about you?" she asked whipping away some of the tears.

"Did Superboy or Blue Beetle put you up to this?" he said looking at her with suspicion.

"Never met them, but why?" she asked now more curious than sad.

"They were saying I should get a girlfriend," he said with a grimace.

"Oh, and you don't want to?" she asked.

"I don't know," he said rubbing his hands together, "there is a girl I have been thinking about, but mixing her circumstances with mine would just make a mess."

"You hero types don't have it easy, right?" she said with a small chuckle.

"I might want to date you," he admitted. She turned to stare at him in shock, "but like Flash says, anyone we pull into our lives is placed in danger. I think you already have enough of that."

"But you don't even know me!" she said bolting to stand up. It seemed that wasn't the answer she had been expecting.

"I know you are pretty, and I learned a lot about you from unpacking your stuff," he said with a goofy smile.

"You didn't unpack my clothes, did you?" she said turning red.

"Nope, I left those boxes on your bed," he told her before she went to pick into the bedroom.

"Hahahahahaha," she laughed when she spotted the boxes on the bed. One was open, but it seemed the moment he had seen what was in it, he had left them alone.

"Hey listen," he said writing something on a small pad, "if you need help, or just someone to talk or hang out you can call me. My name is Bart," he handed her the pad with his number and name.

"What? You are telling me your name? Isn't like Hero 101 not to tell?"

"Do you know how many Barts are out there? Besides I didn't give you my last name," he winked at her, "I have been doing this gig for long enough to know how far to push it."

"How do you do it?" she asked with a small smile, "laugh and be happy when you aren't."

"You don't have any powers, do you?" or she was just that good at reading him.

"Not really, you just remind me of me," she said with a shrug.

"Yeah, same here," he gave a short laugh, "I guess I do it for my friends. I don't like them worrying about me or treating me like I might break. Besides, things are better know. That's something to be happy about, right?"

"Right," she said and was quiet for a few moments. He didn't need her to tell him she was thinking of her current circumstances compared to the previous ones. A small but truthful smile drew on her face, "want to order pizza?"

"If this isn't the start of a great friendship, I don't know what it is," he said with an arm over her shoulder.

888

It was strange. He had never shared any of this with his friend, but here he was sharing it with a complete stranger. She had gone through some terrible stuff, forced to grow up, and still she didn't give up on life. Though they came from complete different places, he felt like she understood him. It had started like a small game to see whose life was more fucked up. It was a cruel and self-pitying game

"Okay, I said this is not a competition, but I can beat that," he said on their fifth box of pizza that night. It was close to midnight and he had school the next day, but he just didn't want it to end.

"Let's hear it then," she said with a smirk.

"Okay, so I watched my guardian die at the hands of one of his friends. His friend was being controlled by the Reach," he said before devouring the slice as to keep himself quiet from saying how he wished to kill the guy that was now his friend. That was messed up.

"I can beat that," she said with a distant look. He knew this one would be too much from the way she stumbled with the words at first. He knew he should have stopped her, but every time they shared something, it was as if a weight was lifted off. He lost count of the number of times Black Canary had tried to get him to open up by telling him he would feel better. He didn't believe it back then, "I saw my dad kill my mom."

He couldn't eat another bite after hearing that, and the same was for Mia. She apologized quietly as tears ran down her face. He waited for her to stop, but the tears just wouldn't. She started talking fast about how her mother begged and how he still stabbed her on the kitchen counter with the same knife she used to prepare dinner. When her father spotted her, he dragged her to her room and locked her in. She escaped through her bedroom window, in the way hurt her ankle. It was the first of many bruises to come.

When she went to the police, they had her locked up. She overheard the cops on his payroll say her dad was on his way to pick her up. She escaped by changing her clothes with another girl in the same holding cell. At that time, she knew that she wouldn't survive in Star City. So, she spent the next week asking for rides, sleeping in abandoned buildings, and stealing food from convenience stores until she made it to Metropolis. The rest he already knew. She had been caught but since she didn't give them her real name they just placed in an orphanage. That didn't work for her so she escaped and lived as a thief. When that wasn't enough, she turned to other venues to survive. They were two very painful years.

"I am damaged goods, and all because of him," she sobbed as she pounded her fists on her lap and continued so until he embraced her. "You guys have all treated me so nicely while the rest of the world just looks down and sneer. Why?"

"I don't know," he admitted, he really didn't know. He just knew this girl was hurt in more than way and he needed to protect her. He removed the boxes from her bed and helped her under the covers.

"That girl, the one you like," Mia said between sobs and a broken smile, "you better ask her out or I will find out who it is and tell her."

"Will do," he said before turning the light off. He sat next to her and held her hand. She had sobbed for a few minutes before she fell asleep.

When he left her room, he didn't feel right leaving just yet. He started picking up the mess they made when Black Canary dressed in civvies came in.

"You don't have to do that though we weren't planning on it, we recorded all that she said. It will work as evidence against her father," Dinah said also with an apologetic look. He knew how surveillance worked, so he just shrugged. Sometimes the bugs just caught information that helped, and this was one of those cases.

"I am guessing you guys are after him for more than killing his wife," if it were something like murder, they would have already completed the mission.

"Her father is John King," Dinah said inviting him to sit down,

"The John King, third richest man in the country?" he asked knowing the man was based on Star City at the time.

"I am only telling you this because I know you are sincerely worried about her. I want you to know we are handling it. Mia had a flash drive her mother gave her with all the evidence we need to put him behind bars for life. When he found out his wife betrayed her, that's when he killed her."

"And if he finds Mia, he will kill her too trying to get it," he wondered if Mia had actually beaten him at their little morbid game.

"But he won't Bart; Green Arrow has been after King for a long time now. He suspected from the beginning the man was involved in his wife's death and daughter's disappearance. King knows we are on to him; he has been sending assassins after Green Arrow for some months now."

"Things always fall into place somehow, don't they?" Superman found the girl of all the lost girls out there.

"She is brave, that's what made her stand out," Black Canary said with a smile. "She is strong to have made it this far."

"What will happen after her father goes to jail? King is one of the richest guys out there, but she is still a kid," was he one to talk.

"We will think of something, and I will personally make sure you are in the known though I doubt she won't call you to let you know. Now, go home. Mrs. Garrick is worried about you."

"Got it, and thanks," he said before leaving.

888

The next morning Mia woke up alone. She actually had hoped Bart would have decided to stay with her. But, of course, honest guys like him didn't do that. It had been the same with Superman. She still couldn't believe she tried to sell the goods to _the man_. Still, as the Boy Scout he was known to be, he said no and even saved her, no questions asked.

She wished she could say the same thing for the rest of the League. The day after Superman left her in a luxurious apartment, some people from the League come to pick her up. They had a background check on her and found who her father was. Of course, she had fought them, but after a call from Superman assuring her they were friends she went with them. She thought it was crazy that they moved her back to Star City.

When she left her room, she found her assigned bodyguards in the living room and kitchen. Olly, the blond man, was cooking some breakfast while, Dinah, a blond woman, was looking at the security footage. No last names. She wondered if they were capes too but laughed in her head at the idea. Two capes looking after her, what were the chances of that?

"Morning kid, breakfast will be ready in a minute," the clean shaven Olly said fixing his sunglasses. He didn't seem used to them.

"Thanks," she said before she sat next to the severe looking Dinah. She too watched the recordings in case something looked suspicious.

"Mia, that boy behaved last night, right?" she asked immediately.

"He did," she said not looking at her. She could believe she had bawled like a baby with him. "Actually, I hope you don't mind him coming over every once in a while."

"That's fine," Olly said as he maneuvered three plates to the small living room table. "Kid needs more friends anyways."

"Olly!" Dinah said punching him in the shoulder.

"What? I am not saying his current friends are bad, but hanging out with someone normal would do him some good," Olly said rubbing his arm.

"I guess," Dinah said with a sigh. She seemed worried about Kid Flash.

"Yeah, because I am so normal," she couldn't help saying. Her dad was rich and secretly a mob boss that used all of his community assistance plans to blackmail cities through the country. He had a vast empire under him and neither her mother nor she realized it until it was too late. Then, there was all that happened after.

"Mia, would you like spar with me?" Dinah asked.

"What?" she asked.

"What she said," Olly said almost dropping his fork.

"We can't have her slouching around the place doing nothing; some sparring will do her good," Dinah said.

"I am not really the fighting type," she said knowing the League didn't choose this woman to look after her just because she was pretty.

"You are a woman, all women are fighters," Dinah said standing up and stretching.

"You better go along kiddo, or she will make me spar with her," Olly said standing up too, but to eat his breakfast in the kitchen.

"You make it sound like something I don't really want to do," she said swallowing the last of her breakfast.

888

"Bart? Do you know what time it is?" Kiran asked looking at the screen with tired eyes. She was lying on her belly and seemed to just have woken up.

"Four pm," he said checking the clock on his laptop.

"Is three am here, good night Bart," she said reaching to close her laptop.

"Wait!" he said raising his hands.

"I am not really a morning person, so make it fast," she said with a sigh before covering the top of her head with her blanket.

"Would you like to go out with me? Not like a date, just hang out," he said with a smile.

"Huh?" she said scrunching her nose.

"Not a date, date, just like hanging out," he said feeling the words get stuck in his throat. Stupid teammates and girl he just befriended putting ideas in his head.

"No," Kiran said laying her chin on her mattress and ready to fall asleep again.

"Oh," was all he could articulate. Well, what did he expect? He did wake her up at three am.

"I mean, not now," she grumbled trying to get comfortable while also not attempting to reveal much by keeping the blanket over her body. "I have some stuff to deal with, and then maybe if things aren't so messed up we will. Now just isn't a good time," she said picking at him with one eye.

"Oh," again, he couldn't find another word.

"Don't just keep saying oh," she said getting closer to the screen. "I want to go out with a _friend_, but right now it is not possible. I promise I will tell you when it is."

"Okay," he said before pressing his lips together in a thin line

"How do you manage to make me feel like the bad guy event though I am not!" she said sitting up and throwing the blanket off her.

"I am sorry, I didn't mean to," he said trying to look like he was looking away, but still glancing. It was nothing revealing. Kiran lived alone but was not the kind to be caught unprepared. She wore long shorts and a short-sleeved gown that reached her tights. Still, for a teenage boy who was now being reminded he was human, it had the same effect as if she was wearing short shorts and a tank top.

"I know, I know," she said running her fingers through her sleep-tousled long hair.

Bart hoped she didn't hear him gulp.

"I… I will let you go back to sleep," he said, "sorry."

"Bye Bart," she said also reaching to close the screen. Both of them waited for the other to finish the call first but stopped and stared at each other. They waited for the other to finish the chat first. "This- this isn't happening," she said running hand down her face.

"I think it is," he said with a toothpaste commercial smile. "You first," he said then with a smirk.

"No, we are not! You first!" she said glaring at him.

"No, you first," he said still smirking.

"Of all," she grumbled, "no, just no."

"Alright then, go ahead and finish the call," he said crossing his arms.

"You- you," she swallowed, "you are crazy."

"Aww, thank you, now; you first," he said before biting his lip. He was going to burst out laughing any moment now.

"No," she said with a pout.

"I thought you said you wanted to go back to sleep," he said with a smug tone.

"I do, so end the call," she said crossing her arms.

"You first," he said leaning back in the chair. He could do this all day.

"I swear I will singe your –" a sphere of energy appeared on her hand.

"Fine, fine," he said raising his hands in surrender, "dream of me."

"Now why would I-" but he had already ended the call.

"That was just evil."

"Ahh!" the chair slipped and he fell back before looking up at his grandfather.

"You deserve that," Barry said extending his hand to help Bart up.

"What? She could have just finished the call," he said once he was up.

"Oh God, I feared this day," Barry said running a hand through his hair as he paced the room.

"Feared what?" was there an inherited illness he wasn't aware of?

"You like that girl," Barry said closing his eyes and holding his nose's bridge.

"Of course I like her, we wouldn't be friends otherwise," he said with a crooked smile.

"Don't play coy Bart," Barry glared.

"Okay, so I like her a little bit, so what?" he asked with a frown. Wasn't that the usual thing to do at his age?

"Did anyone ever have the _talk_ with you?" Barry said stressing the word.

"The _talk_?" he stressed it too, but it didn't ring a bell.

"This is worse than I thought," Barry said before he resumed passing the room.

"What talk?" he asked narrowing his eyes. He was sure someone would have told him of this so called _talk_ back in his time if it were that important.

"About how babies are made and that stuff," Barry said after clearing his throat.

"Oh, I learned that in a book," he remembered Mr. Grayson also included a book on anatomy and some magazines with scarcely dressed women (and for some reason, one with guys too).

"Is not the same," Barry said with a sigh.

"And Nightwing gave us a speech about not playing games with villainesses," he remembered Superboy kept slapping his face as the rest listened intently especially of which to be wary of.

"Oh God, you need the talk. Wait a sec," and half a second later he was back hiding his hands behind his back. He closed the door right behind him.

"What is that?" he asked stepping back, he had an awful feeling about it.

"It is something I have been neglecting to teach you," he said stepping forwards.

"Okay?" he said still stepping back, but also looking for a way out.

Ten seconds later.

"Come back!" Barry shouted as he ran after him.

"No way!" he shouted back and ran faster.

888

Jaime was loading the moving truck when the box he was carrying was suddenly gone.

"Blue, you got to save me," Bart shouted on Jaime's face.

"What is happening?!" Jaime asked looking back and forth looking for danger.

"Grandpa, he has gone mad!" he shouted before he gasped at what he saw behind Jaime. "Gha! The puppets!"

"Hi Jaime, by Jaime," Barry said chasing after his grandson.

Jaime stood frozen wondering if he had truly just seen the Flash run after his friends with two freaky looking puppets.

888

Conner was sitting in front of his computer looking over his journal. What he read seemed impossible, but there it was. Superman had gone out to his Fortress of Solitude to see if he could find a way to help him.

"Suppey!" a boy appeared in the living room.

"Who are you?" he asked standing up and stepping back.

"Not crash! I need your help! Grandpa has gone mad!" Bart shouted before ducking. Someone at super-speed just tried to tackle him, "get those things away from me!"

And just as fast as they had arrived, they were gone.

Conner picked the phone and dialed the number he was given.

"Is there a problem?" Superman answered on the other line.

"Two speedsters crashed into the apartment and then left," he said keeping an eye out in case any of them returned.

"One blond and the other auburn?" Superman asked.

"Yes," he said with a frown, "and the blond had two weird puppets. Just how bizarre has my life become?"

"That's new even for me, but I will make sure to ask Flash about it," Superman said.

Conner went back to reading his journals, but not without shuddering at remembering those puppets. He didn't blame the kid for running away.

888

Tim was done with his visit to Gotham and wanted to relax. He sat outside on a mat meditating. It had been a long time since he didn't do this, and he realized he had missed it. As usual, they (meaning Batman and company) ended up talking about leads and suspicions. It was just the way bats were.

"No questions! Just hide me!" he snapped his eyes open to find Bart staring at him with wide eyes and shaking him by the shoulders.

"Are you in mortal danger?" he asked.

"What?" Bart asked giving him a look that said 'did you really ask me that?'

"Are you in mortal danger?" yes, he asked just that. He really wanted to go back to his meditation.

"No," Bart grumbled.

"Then, why would I do something like that when you interrupting my meditation?" he said closing his eyes again.

"But the puppets!" Bart said raising his hands in the air.

"Puppets?" he opened one eye and asked.

"Caught you!" the next moment Barry appeared and caught Bart. He threw him over his shoulder.

"Nooo!" Bart shouted.

He heard steps behind him and knew the Flash had already seen Bruce walk towards them.

"Clark just called saying you two were running around the country with what I hope wasn't true, were puppets," he said looking at a pair of puppets on Flash's hands. One was of a woman and the other of a man. Both were creepy with too large eyes and oddly shaped heads.

"Please help me! He wants to give me _the talk," _Bart shouted.

"I give up," maybe he would try meditating again when he returned to his flat. He started rolling his mat.

"You are trying to give him the talk?" Bruce asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah, with puppets!" Bart shouted before Barry could say anything.

"What, that's how I got the talk," Barry said before Bruce frowned, this couldn't be good.

"You should just take it," he whispered to his friend.

"No way!" Bart shouted.

"I will give the boy the talk," Bruce said.

"I don't think-" Barry started.

"I will be very through," Bruce said with the decisiveness that characterized the dark knight.

"Alright," Barry said placing Bart down before the young teen followed the man to another side of the garden.

"This might take a while," he told the older speedster.

Half an hour later while they were taking the afternoon tea, Bart and Bruce returned. Bruce, of course, looked like nothing had happened. Bart, in the other hand, looked pale and close to sick.

"Told you so," he said to his friend who collapsed the chair next to him.

"Bart?" Barry asked worried before looking at Bruce, "what did you tell him?"

"Everything," he and Bruce said at the same time.

"Everything?" Barry had asked before the two bats nodded.

"Do you think M'gann could make me forget the last hour?" Bart asked.

"Not a chance," Bruce said with a smirk.


	17. Chapter 17

Kid Flash's Not so Easy Path 17

It was a strange week filled with odd situations and puppets. He wished the puppets and the talk with Batman had been the strangest of things, but as his life would have it, it wouldn't be that easy. He had told his friends he would try to find more friends in school. He really had no idea how to start. There was a moment when he considered asking his friends for advice, but then he realized they were not the friendliest bunch.

For starters Conner, for what he was told, could only make friends in High School because of M'gann. As far as they knew while in college he remained in the same bubble of people until he moved to Metropolis. On his own, he had only been able to befriend one person, and at that it was Lex Luthor's niece. There was Tim who said he had a few acquaintances while in school, and he didn't blame people for not being closer to him. The kid was a genius in just about everything that interested him and was sort of intense. Then, there was his old friend Blue, but he had been friends with the same people since he was a little kid, and any new friends were Metas or part of the hero community.

There was no other choice then. He had to go to the greatest source of knowledge of their time; the internet.

So, step one was to be confident. He got that down to a T, so great. Step two was to be himself; he looked at himself in the mirror and allowed his factions to relax, he rolled his shoulders and took a deep breath. His expression was not what he had been expecting. Where once had been anger and sadness he could see a little bit of relief and even he dare say happiness. He was sort of happy, he thought, he was crashing Kid Flash and he had accomplished many great feats. Of course, he had to be somewhat happy. A lopsided smile appeared on his face. Okay, he could work with that. Step three was to be hygienic for no one liked to smell body odor or bad breath. He sniffed his arm and checked his breath. Ha, this stuff was too easy, he thought running a hand through his hair.

As he for once walked to school, he kept checking his phone for the next steps. The next step was to be kind. Kind how? He read further.

_**Make sure to be nice to people of all cultures and backgrounds. If you think that you will say something that will make them feel sad, do not say anything and just nod your head if they talk to you. Also, remember to be as kind and as helpful as possible.**_

Okay, so pretty much it was not be a douchebag, watch what he said and be polite. He could do that. The next was to be inviting which gave a lot of don'ts. He guessed shy people had trouble with this as it talked mostly about not hunching, looking at people in the eye, smiling, and payment a compliment here and there. Wow, was it really this easy? Well, maybe stopping villains when he wasn't at school made it seem easy.

The next step was to make the first move. He had to approach someone and start a small conversation. Okay, he thought as he made it to his first class and saw the almost empty room. There was the guy who sat next to him. He seemed to be having trouble with the trigonometry homework which was meant to be turned in that day. This was the perfect chance! He thought taking his seat. Okay, so he should offer him his help and then bam, they would be friends.

"Hey, you need help?" he asked the kid.

"Mind your own business. Just because the teacher keeps saying she wished all of us were like you, it doesn't mean we want to Allen," the boy said. He didn't even spare him a glance as he worked on the problems.

He checked his guide to see if it said anything about jerks, but it didn't. He leaned back; he didn't want to be friends with whatever his name was, anyway.

"Hmph," the kid frowned before looking at the clock. The teacher would be in any moment and for what he saw the kid wasn't even halfway done, and most of his weren't even right.

"Oh look at that. I dropped my homework and it landed all the way on your side," he said overdramatically for the guy to get the hint. "Could you give it to me?"

The other boy looked at him and then at the paper. He leaned to pick it, and he cheered in his mind. He would get the answers and he Bart Allen would have actually made a friend in school, like an average kid. Okay, so he used his speed to place the paper there, but it was still going to work.

The kid looked at the paper for a moment, placed it on his desk, erased his name and then wrote his own. The guy's name was Kevin.

"You must be mistaken, that was mine," Kevin said before scrunching his previous work into a ball and then throwing it into the garbage can. "Point!" and some of the guys in the back of the room cheered. Now he remembered, he thought wanting to slap himself. Their teacher placed Kevin next to him to keep him away from his friends in the back because otherwise he wouldn't do any of the work.

"What the hell," he said out loud as he glared and pointed at the kid, "I offered to help you and you steal my homework?"

"Shut up Allen before I knock your teeth out,"

"Wow, how original," he said slamming another piece of paper on his desk. Of all the people, he could have tried to befriend it was that guy. He heard snickering through the class but decided to ignore them as the redid his homework in the following two minutes. Kevin glared at him the whole time, but of course he had faced worse.

"Give me that!" Kevin made to grab for his new homework, but he moved it away.

"Nope," he said getting up the moment Kevin did. At that point, he was tempted to change the answers to Kevin's (once his) paper.

"C'mon egghead, give it," Kevin said with a malicious smile.

"Egghead?" he said running a hand through his good-looking auburn hair, "I think you have me confused with someone else."

He heard more snickering through the room. Great, what he wanted, people laughing at him.

"What's going on here?" the teacher said as she came in.

"Nothing," he and Kevin responded at the same time before taking their seats. The class went on as usual for the exception that the two of them would keep glaring at each other. Damn guide should be called 'How to make enemies with assholes.'

When class over he was pushed onto the lockers by Kevin and his friends, who belonged to the Football team; Bart, you really know how to pick them.

"Thanks, Allen, the hag for once didn't get on my case. Don't forget to bring my homework tomorrow too," Kevin said shoving him back until his back hit the lockers.

"Hilarious guys, now where is the camera?" he was sure he had seen this movie at some point.

"It's no joke Allen," Kevin said as he and his friends surrounded him.

"Hm, let me think about it; no," he said in a moment.

"It's not for you-"

"Oh look, the cliché time is over, see you later," he said pushing his way through them. Some of them tried to reach for him, but he used just enough of his speed to evade them and then started running at a normal pace. He had to get them off his case.

"Come back!" Kevin shouted as they started chasing after him.

"Yeah, like that's going to happen," he said taking a turn before using his real speed and leaving a very confused group of jocks behind.

He decided to rethink his plan until lunch time. The guide had given a few examples of how to approach people and him surely he wasn't going to talk to anyone while in the bathroom. Who the hell made friends while going to the toilet anyways? His lunch time was usually spent doing something else but eating, surprising right? He really wasn't a fan for waiting in lines or struggling to find a place to sit. After the agonizing wait to get something to eat, he made a beeline for a table filled with kids he recognized from some of his classes. They were a nerdy bunch (who was he to talk), and he was sure they would appreciate someone not so nerdy looking joining them.

"Hey, can I sit here?" he asked. This time he took the time to find exactly who each one of them was; Otto, Kendal, Cody, Charley, and Oscar. Some were part of the chess club, others of the robotic club, and one of them was in band. None of them looked at him until he coughed. He had startled most of them before they turned to look at him in shock. He offered them smirk, he wasn't asking again. They looked at each other silently and he wondered if they had a mental link.

"Well, I guess," said Otto before they made way for him to sit. All the following steps went out of his mind the moment he was settled. They looked at him until he started poking at his food. The other teens started talking about their interests and he remembered that was next step. See if he shared anything in common with them and strike up a conversation. He had no interest on cellos or piccolos so he scratched that off the list. Then they talked about chess; yeah he could only play with his grandpa or Mr. Garrick otherwise he would go mad waiting for the other person. Then there was robotics; that he understood and found interesting.

However, when Cody placed the prints in progress, he couldn't help frowning as he listened to them. Their robot was like a small droid with odd legs and arms.

"…then we could add an arm, a five-fingered one and the other it could have a claw!"

"Dude, we already tried that. It was a complete failure."

"Hey, you know what they say; if it doesn't work the first time…"

"Call it version 1.0!" they all said in unison and laughed. He didn't find it funny.

Kendal had noticed his frown before he looked embarrassed.

"You know," Bart said, "there is a reason why tanks and some of the best fighting robots aren't higher than this." He said showing them the height with his hand.

"We-we know," Otto said, "but the human body is a war machine, every time it comes down to the strength of-"

"The human factor, of course, is you. That isn't a human, you are. For a humanoid design to work it needs reflexes, speed, and asymmetrical weight. If you want to go farther than that an AI would be necessary, but the farther we have reached right now on this is not enough. Now, I agree a five-fingered hand might be a better choice than a claw, but currently even the most advanced biomedical pioneers have not been able to recreate what our actual hands do." He took a piece of paper out and started drawing, "what might be better is a traditional, yet not so traditional front-hinge flipper. It has shown through the years to be among the best choices though it is usually easy to spot." The robot he started to draw had a little ramp, which when in a robot fight activated and jumped throwing the enemy back.

"We know, a lot of the guys in the competitions have a mechanism set to turn their robots back up."

"Oh, but it wouldn't work if the impact damaged the robot to the point of damage." He started a new drawing, one of a cube, "and especially one they didn't see coming."

Inside the cube, he showed them how it could be changed from becoming a heavy unflappable object by changing the center of gravitation. The how it could become a front hinge flipper that could throw its enemy really high so the landing would damage it, to adding other little mean surprises. In the end, in his one paper he had a sure to win design for a robot. The bell rang and they all bolted up surprising him.

"Hey, don't you want it?" he asked as they left his plans behind.

"Thank but no thanks," Otto said as he put away his own plan, "that stuff is impossible to make."

"I could help you," he said getting up. Some shared unsure looks, but in the end he could tell it was a no.

"Thanks but no thanks," Otto said with a cruel snicker. The rest also laughed, but nervously. He understood then than what Otto said, went.

"Fine I guess," he said before taking his one piece of paper, turning it into a ball, and then throwing it into a trash can. It landed perfectly, "you are the smart guys." He knew it was a mean thing to say because they all knew he was smarter than them. It wasn't just then that he had outdone them, but in all the classes they shared. Bart Allen was always the best, so much that not even the nerds liked him because he made them feel dumb.

"What a showoff."

"A jackass."

"That's why he is always alone."

"What a loser."

He laughed aloud, which made them jump. He knew they intended for him to hear their comments, but he could care less for their self-esteem. He was Kid Flash, time traveler, a hero and a freaking genius! Not a showoff, a jackass or a loser. If they wanted to feel less for something they had no control over, that was they own goddamn problem.

"Sorry, I couldn't help myself," he told them before waving them off, "see you in class."

"Hey Allen!" by then the cafeteria was almost empty, so when Kevin stumped his way in followed by his friends everyone heard him. They all turned to look at him.

"Hey Kevin," he said waving exuberantly, which only seemed to upset Kevin further.

"You are a dead man," he said marching up to Bart. Then he tried to pick him up by his shirt. Bart slapped his hand away before twisting it behind his back and then kicking the back of his knees so that he fell on them. It happened so fast, everyone became quiet.

"Really Kevin, couldn't you come up with something a bit more original. Confronting me in the cafeteria; please don't tell me you were waiting outside waiting for the bell so you could make a dramatic entrance. And you call me a dead man? For someone whose best years of his life are in these halls that seem something very inappropriate to say, don't you think?"

"Let me go you freak!" Kevin shouted as Bart just kept twisting his arm further.

"Of course Kevin," Bart said releasing him before he picked up his backpack. "Oh look at the time; we are going to be late for the next class. See you later."

No one moved as he left the cafeteria.

"What a freak."

Of course, the whole thing didn't end there. By the time of his last class, he was called into the principal's office. He wasn't surprised and made sure to show it as he left the classroom. Everyone had been talking about what he did in the cafeteria. It was bound to get to a teacher sooner or later. When he entered, however, he was surprised to see it was not Mr. Garrick who passed as his grandfather, but his actual grandfather who passed as his uncle.

"Hey there Bart," he told placing a hand on his shoulder, "are you okay?"

It took him to understand the situation but a moment. Whom he imagined was Kevin's mother stood on the side of the principal's desk tapping her foot obnoxiously all the while glaring at them. Kevin stood behind her nursing his wrist and smirking at Bart with his trademark malicious smile.

"He okay?! He almost snapped my son's wrist!?" the loud extremely thin woman said, "and in his senior year of all times! Scouts will be arriving soon! Don't you-"

"That's enough ma'am," the principal said from his chair with a sigh. It was clear the woman had been there for a while. He kept scratching at the nicotine patches under his shirt, "your son was thoroughly checked by the nurse, and she said he is fine."

"Like a second rate nurse could actually-" the woman said ready to start ranting.

"My apologies for the interruption," Barry said turning to face them, "but I just can't understand why Bart would do something like that."

"Well, it's quite clear why. He is unbalanced. He needs professional help," the woman said with a smug smile. God, this family needed to get personalities of their own.

"Ma'am, that's crossing a very delicate line so I would recommend you to not go any further," Barry said stepping forwards.

"But the kid lost his parents, right? And he is living with that old couple. They probably don't look well after him," she said trying to hold her head high, but the steady stare from the Flash was undoing her conviction.

"Wait, she thinks something is wrong with me because I lost my parents? What exactly did you tell her, Kevin? That I hurt you because you had a mommy and I didn't?" he couldn't help saying as he stared at them incredulously. He saw Kevin clench his teeth, and he knew he had hit the jackpot.

"Bart," Barry said warningly.

"Sorry Uncle, it's just so ridiculous that anyone would believe a story like that. But then again, no one would bother to testify otherwise since they are so afraid of him so it will also be hard for me to prove my innocence," he said biting his lip.

"My son is not a bully!" the woman screeched.

"Right, tell that to the whole chess club," Bart said rolling his eyes, "I heard they can't hear a toilet flushing without getting startled."

"Well, there is the fact that you are smaller than him," Barry said trying to save the situation.

"Oh, but I did hurt him, not to the extent she or he claims. I only did it so he would stop chasing me to force me to do his homework for trig. Actually, that could work as proof. Ask the teacher for the homework we turned in today. She probably already realized it, but the handwriting is exactly as mine. I had to do my homework all over again for thinking I could offer him some help when I saw him struggling," by that time the mother was glaring at him seethed. It was no mystery that Kevin was not decent in trig, while he as a freshman was the best.

"Even so that is no excuse to hurt someone," Barry said sounding in edge. It was a very explicit rule that they weren't to hurt civilians.

"You are entirely right, and actually the lady might be right in the case that I am a bit off, but then again who isn't? She believes blinded by parental love what her son tells her. You always arrive late, and the principal wears multiple nicotine patches while in school. Also, Kevin seems to think we are in a nineties movie and keeps saying the most cliché of things for a bully."

Barry sighed, "Bart…"

"Fine, I will take whatever punishment is given to me, but I will ask for Kevin and his friends to not bother me anymore. Any attempt on their behalf will be answered with pure self-defense and there is no rule against that," he said and by then end the principal, Kevin, and his mother were all gasping at him.

In the end, they let the whole matter go. However, his grandpa didn't. For that week, he wasn't allowed to patrol around the city with him. Though both knew he could go wherever he wanted, he decided to remain and do as he asked out of respect and for causing problems. However, when Friday arrived, he had to abandon that plan. He had work to do with his team, and after explaining about the Metas being targeted his grandfather said that he would allow it.

"But I still can't understand why," Barry said as he sat with Bart on the back porch. "Not for a moment I believe you are off and no, I am not blinded by you being my grandson. Something happened Bart, is it related to what happened at the Outlaws' island?"

"I don't think so," he said with a frown, "I think it was just bad luck. I tried to befriend Kevin by offering my help, and it turned out like that."

"You were trying to be his friend?"

"Yeah, the guys said I should make some friends at school. It just turned out like that," he said with a shrug. "Maybe I just can't make friends with normal people."

"It is a little odd sometimes," Barry admitted scratching the back of his head, "not being able to tell them everything that happens. But is not impossible, you just have to keep an eye out for the right people. Not everyone is going to understand you, especially you."

"Hey!" Bart had said before Flash captured him in a headlock.

"Don't rush it, I know that's difficult for us, but this is one of those things you just don't push. If there is someone in that school that gets you without knowing the whole deal, you will meet them."

"Thanks," he said with a short laugh.

"And if it doesn't work, please remind me to never give that advice to my kids," Barry said before Bart tackled him with a frustrated laugh.

That Friday when school let out he went straight home to work on his prototype for the teletransporter. It would make situations like their current one more bearable, not that it bothered him. Tim refused to be carried on his arms, not that it would be easy to run with him like that. Still, even if it was arm over the shoulder the shock of moving at that speed was not something even bats could learn to get used to immediately.

"Are you okay?" he asked Tim after putting him down, "you look like you are going to throw up."

"You think," chuckled his pale friend. "Just give me a second," Tim said leaning against the wall of a small alley as he took deep breaths. A few moments later, he was standing upright again, "what do you know about her problem?"

"She won't tell me what is really wrong, but I am sure it has to do with her family. She used to live in this fantastic place. Now she goes to the slums for food and hides in some ruins," he told Tim remembering how insistent she had been about not talking about her problem. "She is by no means in a bad position, but whatever is going is clearly worrying her." It had to for her to reject him like that, right?

"Kiran Singh was reported as missing over a year ago. It was even before _La Dama_ started collecting Metas. Her father Nilam Singh is the owner of the biggest software company in India. Nothing has been said through the media, but it is known his daughter is missing and he is offering a great reward for bringing her back home. Though, as why is not a public matter is strange," Tim said as they walked through the busy streets of Delhi and started their way to the slums.

"You already looked into her," he wasn't sure if to be upset or really not that surprised. Tim was very thorough when it came to just about everything. Of course, he would look into whoever they were recruiting. But, he thought bitterly, he could have told him before if he had already realized the girl he was interested in was Kiran.

"I was already planning for her to join us," Tim said not one bit regretful. Indeed, why did he bother being surprised? Kiran was very powerful and, of course, would be a great addition to their team.

"Really?" he asked wondering if it was for his sake (though he doubted), or for how long he had been planning this?

"She is strong," of course it wasn't because of him, and it was not personal at all. He wondered what Wonder Girl had seen on the guy.

"Yeah," he said wondering if he had just become a pawn, but then again they agreed for Tim to be their leader for a reason. They trusted his judgment though he wished he let them some more into the known. He knew he and Conner were very hushed about something, but as he trusted them he didn't push it. Though, it was something he wondered he would regret.

"I wasn't sure she was the girl you liked until last Sunday," Tim said then with a smirk. "Flash also told me while you were getting the _talk_ that you had been teasing a girl through a video chat. He seemed very glad to see you behaving normally."

"Kill me now, how many others do you think he has told?" his grandpa was the sort of guy that loved to brag about his family. Hell, when his dad and Aunt Dawn started walking he made the whole League watched the video first thing in one of their meetings.

"At his speed, I would say, everyone who would bother to listen," Tim said with a snort.

"It's not funny," he said running his hand down his face, "if Kiran says yes, she will find out."

"I thought she already knew, you know? from you asking her out," Tim said not hiding his smirk.

"I told her I just wanted to hang out," he said knowing his face was bright red.

"Right, because no girl would interpret that as an 'I like you.'" Tim said pushing him slightly.

He was okay making more friends, but as long the ones he had remained, he didn't think he would need more.


	18. Chapter 18

Kid Flash's Not so Easy Path 18

His heart was beating so fast, even for his standards. Solstice was joining them after an unbelievable night. They had taken down the family who was after the death of her mother, plus her uncle. They had turned them into the authorities only to then have Solstice reveal her true identity. Afterward, they had talked to Kiran's father. He had been expecting the worse when they spoke to the stern looking man. He didn't expect him to approve, though with a few rules about keeping his daughter safe. When they returned to San Francisco, Tim had barely been able to stay up. All through the week he had been seeking new members which made him wonder how he was able to stay up for so long. He was by no means an average guy. He was too stubborn and too driven for his sake.

After making sure he wouldn't come out of his room and finally get a good few hours of sleep he began to realize a few things. He was also tired, but he could still keep going. He had an idea of what Tim needed to get done before he woke up and thought it would be good to take care of it. The talk of the interview boundaries, talking to other potential members, talking to major about letting them set their base near the city, and also call together the new and current members of their team to meet.

After a quick change to civvies and packing his uniform into a backpack he took off to his old friend's new place. He knocked the door a few times wondering if maybe he hadn't moved in yet. Just as he was about to rush to El Paso the door opened to reveal a beautiful blond girl.

"Whatever you are selling, we aren't buying," the girl said starting to close the door.

"Isn't Jaime here?" he asked before she could. He was pretty sure this was the address.

"Paco!" the girl called before he heard someone complain from the inside. A familiar, sleepy face showed up.

"Hey Paco," he said raising a hand.

"Dude, do you know what time it is?" Paco said shuffling towards the door in clothes he looked he slept on.

"I need to talk to Jaime," he said trying to get a pick of the inside. If Paco was there, it meant it was the right place.

"I will get him, come in," Paco said opening the door fully before shuffling towards another door.

"Wow, this place is a dump," he said taking a peek. They only had a TV and couch in the living room. The rest looked like it could use a lot of maintenances.

"I would like to like to see you do better when you move on your own," Paco said before he knocked on the door, "Jaime! Bart is here!"

"Gha!" they heard him fall, "just a sec!"

"Stop daydreaming about Tracy!" Paco said with a smirk.

"Shut up!" Jaime shouted back.

"Who is Tracy?" he asked curiously.

"This hot chick who came to pick Jaime up last night, took him out for a night on town and didn't bring him back until late at night," Paco said as his smirk only grew.

"I am not listening to this," the girl said covering her ears and closing her eyes. She looked around his age.

"You are the one who didn't want to go back home. I am taking you back in a short while so get ready," Paco said not losing his smile as he told the girl.

"But what about breakfast?" she whined.

"Yeah, what about breakfast?" he could do with some breakfast.

"We will grab something in the way, and weren't you in a hurry or something?" Paco said as he sat on the couch.

"But breakfast-" he started to say.

"You could have called," Jaime said opening his door and just like Paco he looked like he had slept in his clothes.

"Not trusting on the phones until, well you know," when Tim told him of what happened with Superboy and how only Blue had been able to reach him even his friend couldn't hide how much it bothered him. That was not to say they could have helped much with a Kryptonian ready to sacrifice Earth to bring back Krypton, but they had the right to know in case they could.

"Fine, c'mon," Jaime said marching towards the door.

Who was that?" he asked once they were outside. She didn't seem to fit in the bachelors' apartment so well.

"It's complicated," Jaime said as they went upstairs.

"And who is Tracy?" he asked before he saw his friend turn lightly red.

"Even more complicated," Jaime said after a pause. "And what happened in India?"

"Me first, I need your help to help Tim," he said as they went up more steps.

"Help how? Because I already took Leonid and Celine for a night out and it didn't end in a very normal way," Jaime said as they reached to roof's door.

"Well, we need to get some things done for Tim. He is exhausted," he said as Jaime formed part of his armor around his hand and then picked the lock to get the door to open.

"He is not the only one," Jaime said stepping outside before they saw the rising sun.

"C'mon, you know how he can be," stubborn was an understatement with their friend.

"Fine, what is it?" Jaime said after a moment of staring at the rising sun over the waters. Now he understood why he picked that dump.

"Well, we are going to talk about the interview with Conner and his classmate to go over boundaries," he told his friend hoping his friend wouldn't complain about the trip to Metropolis.

"What else?" Jaime said not one bit bothered.

"Not much, just what we had already agreed on. You and Superboy work on the foundation of the base, then pick Celine and Leonid to Tim's place," he knew Tim said the big team meeting would be the next day, but he thought it would be more productive to get the briefing and introductions in one go.

"Paco is also joining," Jaime told him.

"What? Really?" he hadn't thought much of Jaime's childhood friend being there until then. He knew he had to be a great ally against La Dama, so at least he had some experience.

"Remember his heart?" Jaime said still looking at the sunset.

"Yeah, is he okay?" he remembered how upbeat Paco had been a few minutes ago. Was he hiding something?

"His heart turned into a scarab," Jaime told him pressing the bridge of his nose.

"Oh… Oh! You mean?" he asked wide-eyed.

"Didn't you see the news?" Jaime turned to him with a raised eyebrow.

"I was grounded and then a bunch of other stuff, you know?" he told his friend with a shameful smile. He had to talk to his grandpa about grounding him again.

"Well, what else?" Jaime asked after a moment.

"No idea, wait for Tim to wake up? I will ask Superboy to take over the meeting with the major, and I am going to talk to some other guys about joining, so that should cover everything," he said crossing his arms, "we aren't over our heads, right?"

"When haven't we?" Jaime laughed, "let's get some breakfast first."

"No need to tell me twice," he said with a smirk before they went back downstairs to find Paco and the girl gone. Jaime locked the place and then they went to a small restaurant around the corner to eat. His friend then explained a few things. The girl, named Emily, was Paco's step sister. It seemed Paco's mother married a lawyer who had divorced and the girl appeared to dislike Paco's mom. The girl had run away from home the night before and Paco's stepfather asked him to find her, which took him a good part of the evening. When he did, the girl wouldn't go back home so Paco allowed her to crash at their place as long as he got the approval of the stepfather. It was all a big mess.

"You think that is a mess? I tried to make friends just like you guys told me and I got called to the principal's office because the guy turned to be a jerk. I got grounded, and I will probably have to stand to the jeering of his friends. Then the girl I told you guys about-"

"Oh yes, the mysterious girl. Don't tell me you asked her out," he friend asked teasingly.

"Only as friends, but she turned me down," he said in a flat tone.

"Ouch, sorry," Jaime flinched.

"But now she is joining us," he said with a small smile.

"Wait, you mean Kiran?" he saw the wheels in the mind of his friend turn.

"The one and only, now that her mess is over maybe I will stand a chance," she had insisted it was because of the trouble she had been in, maybe now she would say yes.

"Just make sure she doesn't get to close to Tim or Conner, those two are like magnets," oh yes the unrequited crush on Wonder Girl. He remembered when they found out his friend invited him to a marathon of horror movies at his place. His friend had an unique form of mopping.

"Good point, are you going to eat that?" he asked when he noticed he wasn't eating.

"Not that hungry," his friend said pushing the plate towards him.

"So, who is this Tracy?" he said taking it gladly.

His friend seemed to think about it before looking out the window of their booth and then said "she is this Homo Magi, who is teaching my sister, but there is something about her- I don't know how to explain it. She knows there is something different about me and she seems determined to find out,"

"That's can't be good," he said pausing between bites but also feeling his friend wasn't telling him everything, "did something happen?"

"If you mean us stopping a spell which summoned little-winged demons with the help of Celine and Leonid, then yes," his friend said in one breath before sighing.

"You know we could use some magic users," he told his friend who then flinched, "or not?"

"We do, but I don't know about dating a girl in the team. No offense, but you saw how things ended with Tim and Cassie," Jaime said. "Somethings you just have to keep apart. Not that I don't think you and Kiran couldn't work. You are just weird enough to pull it off."

"Or turn things into a mess," he said.

"That too, let's get going," Jaime said standing as he finished and then paying the bill. He couldn't help to feel his friend was still hiding some things, but he didn't push it. Maybe it was one of those things he had to keep apart. He hoped eventually his friend would trust him enough to tell him.

Jaime, it seemed, was on good enough terms with Miss Martians because she allowed them to use the Zeta Beams to get to metropolis after a short explanation. He then called Conner to tell him it was time. It didn't take them long to get the boundaries settled though it was a little odd to see Conner in his civilian persona. To top that, Supergirl had also joined them in her civvies after being discharged from the Watchtower. To add to that Lori, the niece of Lex Luthor was completely the opposite of how they thought she would be like. They all had their reservations about her being part of the interview but had said nothing because Superboy trusted her. The more they listened to her, the more they realized she was not like her uncle.

In the end, they told Superboy what they needed to do. He hoped it wouldn't take him long. They needed to make Tim see he could trust them with more.

"I will go from here," he told his friend who prepared to beam back to San Francisco once they made it back to the Watchtower.

"You don't mean ask them, right?" Jaime said looking shocked.

"Tim had a list," he said with a shrug. He knew the answer would likely be no, but they had to try.

"Just make sure Wonder Woman doesn't catch you," his friend said before beaming away.

He went first to drop on a friend. He found Beast Boy sleeping in a tangle of blankets as he held to his pillow. He repeatedly knocked on the door scaring the hell out of his friend making turn into at least five different creatures before falling to the floor in the most human version of him.

"Dude, not crash at all," Garfield said trying to untangle from the blankets.

"Sorry, I need your help," he said with a smirk.

"Are you guys finally going to ask me to join?" Beast Boy asked with wide eyes.

"We are going to talk about that today, but trust me, my friend, I will do all I can," he said with a winning smile.

"You better, I am tired of being locked up here," Beast Boy said sitting on his bed.

"Mode dude, mode, anyways, do you know where I can find Tigress, Nightwing, and Miss Martian?" he asked.

"No, no and yes. M'gann is on monitor duty. Haven't seen Nightwing much since he went to Blüdhaven, and I think today is Artemis day off," Beast Boy said scratching his head. "What you need them for?"

"Tim wants me to ask them to join," sort of, Tim just didn't know it.

"Ha, like that's going to work," Beast Boy said rolling his eyes, "you would have better luck getting Kaldur to take a vacation to the Sahara."

"No argument there, but we got to do what we got to do," he said to his friend, "see ya later."

"Later," his friend looking a little damp; he would make sure they seriously considered him to join them.

He went to find Miss Martian on monitor duty. She was leaning over the console checking everything was okay. It was actually a peaceful Saturday morning.

"The answer is no," she said before he could even open his mouth. She never looked away from the screens.

"But-" he raised his hand. There had to be something, he just needed to think like Tim.

"Not interested," she said with a wave of her hand before a mug with coffee floated to it.

"What about-" he started before he was silenced by a cookie flying into his mouth. There was no better way to be silenced.

"The farther away from each other, the better, besides we are only friends now," she said giving him a playful glance.

"Some friends," he said before another cookie flew into his mouth. "Well, Beast-"

"If he chooses to go, that is his decision. I am needed here," she said motioning to their surroundings. He didn't doubt it for a moment.

"Got it, can I take some of those to go?" he asked before she laughed softly and then nodded. Though her new appearance with red eyes and paper white skin was somewhat frightening, the same M'gann he knew was still there.

He then took a Zeta Beam to Blüdhaven. He went straight to the address M'gann had given him. He guessed Dick was just waking up by his disheveled look when he opened the door at his constant knocking.

He gave him one glance and then said "too early," and closed the door.

"Fine! we can talk to through the door!" he started shouting, "I am here because Tim sent to ask you-"

"Make it fast, and don't take any of my food," Dick said opening the door and the pulling him inside.

"No promises," he said with a smirk, "so as I was saying, our brave and brilliant leader would like you to join us."

"You are kidding, right?" Dick said collapsing on a couch and in front of a medical kit.

"Does Tim joke?" he asked noting the once Robin looked like he had a terrible night. He had bruises and bandages all over.

"Only he gets his own jokes," snickered Dick.

"Right, so what do you say?" he asked.

"Thanks but no thanks. I got my hands full with this place," he said rotating a bandaged shoulder. "But if you ever need my help, you just need to ask."

"I should be the one saying that," he said as Dick started changing the bandage for a stitched cut on his arm.

Nightwing just shrugged.

"Now I get where Tim got the part about not liking to ask for help," he said with a sigh.

"Don't let the door hit you on the way back," Dick said with a short laugh.

"Don't be surprised if we drop unannounced," he said before leaving.

He headed straight for the apartment Artemis shared with her mother. He only found Artemis mother looking after little Lian.

"She only called last night that she would be in later today," the woman said looking troubled as the little girl fidgeted in her arms. "You haven't heard anything about Jade, have you?"

"Sorry, no," he said before helping to pick up around the place. He noticed it looked like Paula Nguyen had been taking care of Lian for a few days. He promised to tell her if he did find anything about Jade. He had a terrible feeling about that.

He knew it was a longshot, but he went straight north to the place where they last had seen Wally. In the frozen tundra, he found a lonely set of footprints, but he guessed she was long gone. He wasn't even sure how to ask her to join them. Tigress was always nice to him, but he never missed the sadness in her eyes when she saw him in Wally's old uniform. Suddenly his desire to want to modify it felt more needed than before.

Just as he was about to return home, he found his speed gone. Panic surged through him for an instant before a hand took hold of his shoulder and pulled him back. He landed on dirt and then looked up to see familiar green eyes.

"Looks good on you kid," he saw him, but he couldn't believe it.

"Wally," he said before taking an offered hand and then getting up, "is this really you?"

"The one and only," said his cousin once removed. He looked exactly how he remembered him though he had the mask off.

"I knew you were alive!" he said throwing his arms around him, "c'mon we have to…" then he got a better look at to where they were. It was white void with small islands floating around them. The islands seemed to have been taken from different placed in the world at various time periods. In the white sky, broken pieces of space floated showing different places in time.

"They are places where the Speed Force is at its strongest, we created a new one back then," Wally said before he turned around and saw a window which looked over the arctic north.

"But I have been here a ton of times before," he said not believe for a moment Wally would let them mourn needlessly.

"I kept it close," Wally said calmly.

"Why? Why haven't you come back?" he was ready to pull him back through the broken piece of space.

"It's a little hard to explain," Wally said stepping back as if sensing his intentions, "I think is better if I show you."

As they walked to the edge of the dirty island, another one came down to create a path for them, and so on.

"What is this place?" there was something odd yet familiar about it.

"We are in the source of the Speed Force, the source of our powers," Wally said as they stepped into an island with a small jungle.

"You keep saying that, but-"

"You already had a theory it existed, didn't you?" Wally asked him.

"Yes, but not like- how do you know that?" he asked stopping for a moment.

"I check on you sometimes. Anyways, I got pulled into this place when the Speed Force tried to protect me. It took me a while to find the window back, but by then I realized that I couldn't leave," Wally said as they stepped into an island like swamp.

"We will find a way," he told his cousin.

"Okay, maybe not so much that I can't, but I shouldn't. I need to stay here," Wally said as they stepped into a small dry island.

"Why?" he asked as they came to a stop.

"You will see in a moment," Wally said before the small island started to move down. The lower they went, the grayer it got until it began to look black.

"What is that?" when they reached what seemed to be the bottom in front of them was a large crack in space pulsing with yellow light.

"It's a rip in time someone is trying to force. Don't ask me how, but the Speed Force doesn't want me to let it happen. Until time heals itself, I have to guard against it," Wally said touching it. The crack started to close over the edges slightly, but he also saw his cousin start to sweat.

"But-" when he did all he could, he fell back on his behind.

"Every time someone travels in time or tries to like that guy H'El did, it gets bigger. I need you to make sure it doesn't happen again," Wally told him.

"But why not tell grandpa?" or the League. They could probably handle this better than just the two of them.

"The Speed Force wants it to be you. It has other plans for Uncle Barry," Wally said looking away from him.

"I am starting to dislike the Speed Force," he said crossing his arms before the small island started floating up.

"Tell me about it, but you can't tell anyone about this, not even Artemis," Wally told him as they kept going up.

"But you saw how heartbroken she was," everyone saw every time his name came up.

"She is moving on," Wally said with a sigh.

"What?" he asked.

"She was there a while ago to apologize," Wally said as they reached their point of origin, "can't blame her. I also don't want to keep her waiting. That's why I don't want you to say a word."

"Fine, but you better give me better explanations than the Speed Force this and the Speed Force that," he said scratching the back of his head. It was hard to believe this was happening. If his theory was right, they were standing in the physical representation of the force which kept time and space together.

"Will try," Wally said before giving him a light shove back, "I will contact you, not the other way around."

He fell on his behind in the snow and stared at where Wally was a moment ago. Had that actually just happened? He asked himself as he stood up and reach through the air with his hands. There was nothing, but that didn't keep him from trying.

"It sometimes feels like he is there, isn't?" he jumped and turned around to find Artemis in her Tigress uniform plus a warm jacket. He was at a loss for words for a moment until she gave him a little help, "M'gann said you were looking for me."

"Ye-Yeah, would you like to join us?" his heart wasn't in the question. How could he work alongside her knowing Wally was there and he couldn't tell her?

"Pass," she said with a small smile, "we are getting new guys into the Team, and M'gann is going to need some help putting them into shape."

"Really?" she seemed a little content with this. He couldn't take that away from her.

"You guys left some big gaps to fill out and with Kaldur moving on to the League and Nightwing to Blüdhaven, well, it was to be expected," she said with a shrug. He nodded in understanding before a frown marred her face. She seemed to be debating with herself for a moment before looking at him, "I met someone."

"Okay?" he said with a frown.

"You don't think he would-" she paused and looked the place where Wally disappeared.

"Oh, you mean someone, as in… well someone?" he knew it sounded stupid, it only made the conversation with Wally feel more real.

"Yeah," she said with a crooked smile. It might lead to nowhere, so calling them someone sounded about right.

"I think he would like you to be happy, and if this someone makes you happy he would be happy for you," he said trying not to bite his tongue. Did Wally know this would happen, and was why he told him all of that?

"He was so jealous sometimes," Artemis said lost in her memories for a moment.

"He cared about you, but you have to… well, you know," move on. He didn't want to say it, but it was the truth. Wally didn't know for how long he would be there, so it was for the best.

"Thank you," she said with a sigh of relief.

"No problem, though I saw your mom, she looks worried," he told her and then hated himself because she looked worried again. "Sorry, sometimes I just don't know when to shut up."

"It's fine," she said trying to be nice to him again, "though I would really appreciate it if you guys hear about my sister to tell me. Roy is looking for her like crazy."

He had nodded before they parted; she in one of the ships of the League, and he running to retrieve another member of their team. He couldn't believe the day wasn't even half way over.


	19. Chapter 19

Kid Flash's Not so Easy Path 19

So, he had made one little mistake and now Kiran won't talk to him. He didn't see the big deal, or at least didn't try to. When he had taken her back home, he thought they were having a 'moment' he never had one so he had thought this was it. He had leaned forwards intending to kiss her and the next thing he knew his cheek was stinging. When he opened his eyes, he saw Kiran glaring at him. He had made one little mistake… now she hated him. He didn't bother trying to explain to her. It was over. He ran back home as fast as he could but instead he went to Star City. It was early Sunday morning when he knocked on Mia's door.

"She is on the roof learning some self-defense from Dinah," Green Arrow said dressed in a suit and not looking much like Green Arrow.

"Thanks," he said wondering if he should wait before trying to talk to Mia.

"Wait, I know that look," he stopped when Green Arrow placed a hand on his shoulder.

"What look?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"The girl Flash talked about, she said no, didn't she?" Ollie asked him.

"Please, tell me he didn't really tell everyone," he all but shouted. He really had to talk to his grandpa about this.

"He was asking me for advice on how I dealt with Roy. I told him I was not the best one to ask," Ollie admitted with a shrug.

"So, you won't help me?" he asked as he had learned in the past Green Arrow used to be the lady's man.

"Can't promise my advice won't ruin your life," he said rubbing his chin.

"I am desperate," the next moment he was lying on the couch, "so, I thought we were having a moment and tried to kiss her. She slapped me."

"What did she say?" Ollie leaned on the couch and looked down at the boy.

"Nothing, because I left," he playing that same moment a hundred times in his mind, every time seemed worse than the last.

"Have you gone out together?" Ollie asked him.

"Not really, last night all the Titans gathered together and we had a little celebration. She and I spent most of the time talking to each other," and for once, he didn't feel like time was too slow. He liked every moment he got to hear her voice.

"So, you had a connection," Ollie said looking at the boy with curiosity. Boys Bart's age usually had already fallen for a couple of girls, but usually never this bad.

"Yeah, we have been going around it for a few weeks. She told me at first she didn't want to go out like that because of what was happening with her family, but now that is over," it made sense that they could go out now.

"I shouldn't be surprised, but I am. You rushed too much," Ollie told him.

"I did?" he asked sitting up.

"Apologize to her, give her some space, and it might take some time, but things between you two will start building again," Ollie said taking seat on another couch.

"Okay," he said before exhaling, "anything else so I don't royally mess up again?"

"Hm…" Ollie thought, "well, try to not be awkward with her however with you…"

"Hey, I can act normal," he said crossing his arms.

"Whatever you say, kid," Ollie said with a smug smile.

Bart studied the man for a moment. He knew Green Arrow wasn't trying to be mean, but warn him maybe, "thanks anyways."

"Anytime," the green archer said before he left.

888

School was a slow as ever after that crazy weekend. It was becoming a sort of ritual to them to get the best and the worst within those few days away from home and family. He knew people were still steering clear of him because of what happened with Kevin the week before. Supposedly Kevin and his friends were supposed to leave him alone, but as his luck would have it, it wasn't that easy. At the start of the day, he found his locker filled with trash. It took him like three seconds to clean it. He lost count of the times they tried to trip him or shove him just for him to step to the side or duck.

Every time he was spotted by Kevin and his friends they would laugh at him out of nowhere. Did he want to give some payback? Of course he did, but he couldn't. He promised his grandfather he wouldn't get into any more trouble. In a few days, he would probably get bored and do something else. Though, he didn't say anything about running.

"Look at those skinny legs," he heard Kevin say from the fence that separated the football and track field. "I bet he can't even run a mile without fainting."

As he prepared to run, he tried to talk himself out of it. They had no idea who he really was and that was how he liked it. He gave the rest grief about keeping their identities secret, but truth to be told he wanted to remain under the radar. He acted out around his friends and the other heroes because they were the good guys. But, he wasn't so sure about the civilians. If they found out who he was after school, who knew how they would treat him.

"Your turn Allen," the coach called before he got in line with the rest of the Freshmen. When the coach rang the whistle they all took off for the exception of him. He listened to Kevin and his friends laugh before he turned his head and gave them a small wave before taking off. In a moment, he had caught up with the rest and got ahead of them. Not too much. He knew he was already bringing attention to himself. He beat the rest of the kids by a few seconds and watched pleased as Kevin and his friends glared at him before going back to their training.

"Allen?" he realized the coach had been calling his name a few times.

"Huh, sorry?" he asked a little nervous.

"I said, are you joining the track team next school year. They could have done with your help this year," the coach asked him with a curious look.

"I think not. I am sort of busy after school," he said a little nervous.

"A shame," the coach said before walking away and calling for the next group. He sat on the grass and waited the remaining ten minutes of the class out. He knew what he had done was stupid, terribly stupid because now they had another reason to go after him.

"Kid Flash?" the words were whispered just loud enough for him to hear it. He didn't react to the person who sat next to him. "That's you, isn't it?"

"Huh?" he asked turning his head to look at a familiar looking girl. Her name was Carol Bucklen and she was in a few of his classes. They had actually attended the same Middle School but never talked to each other until then.

"You are Kid Flash, right?" she asked again.

"Huh?" he said again before he laughed, "I can run fast but not that fast."

"But I saw you," she whispered close to him.

"You saw what?" he asked watching her expression carefully. He knew almost nothing about this dark haired, glass wearing girl. For all he knew Kevin had sent her to bother him or maybe she actually believed he was Kid Flash.

"Well, not saw you but that you were missing when Captain Cold attacked and then when the apes attacked, and those are not the first times," she whispered every word but he felt as if everyone in the school could hear her.

"That's hilarious," he said standing up and walking away. His every instinct told him to run; instead he walked calmly towards the path that led to the locker rooms. Thankfully the coach was too distracted to notice him leaving.

"I won't tell anyone," she said catching up to him.

"There is nothing to tell… ehm," he had to show her he didn't care or she would realize she was indeed right.

"Carol, my name is Carol. We have been together in almost all the same classes since the eighth grade," she said watching him with narrowed eyes.

"Oh yeah, I knew you looked familiar," he said fainting the slightest of interest.

"So, you aren't admitting anything?" she asked as she kept her brown eyes on him.

"There isn't anything to admit. I really don't know where you get that idea from," he said as he kept walking.

"But-" she went after him.

"No buts! I got my hands full with Kevin and his friends to have to stand to this too. God, if I was Kid Flash I would have already used my powers to get out of High School," he threw his arms into the air.

"Yeah, it sucks we have to stand this for three more years. I could probably have taken even more advanced classes and graduate early, but my brother wants me to have a 'normal' childhood. Really, what is normal anyways?" she said as she tried to keep up with his long strides.

"Not looking to make friends, if you are done accusing me of being some lame junior cape I want you and everyone else to leave me alone," he said trying not to run.

"Touchy much," she said when she stopped following him.

When he got to the lockers, he realized he was sweating cold. He had never thought someone in school would put the pieces together. He had to find a way to get her off his track. A call to his friend Red Robin was due as soon as possible. He changed and was gone before any of the rest was back. He still had one more class before sweet freedom. He got to his classroom before anyone else and started reading through for the thousandth time that school year his history book.

Carol was the next person to reach the room and sat a few seats behind him. He could sense her watching him, or maybe he was imaging it? That class felt longer than the usual snail-paced forty minutes. He had to suppress the urge to escape when the last bell rang. Instead, he took his time putting his stuff away. When he got up, half the class was over but he knew she was still there, watching him. As he left the classroom, he caught a glance of her watching him fixedly, calculating, and fearless.

He was in so much trouble.

"We have trouble," he called Tim when he was far enough from the school. He explained about the girl and he could hear his friend typing.

"She is smart," Red Robin said, "you need to lay low for a while."

"I am sort of a pariah at school right now. The football team kind of wants my head on a platter," he said as he walked instead of ran. He still felt watched and he couldn't ignore that feeling.

"Can't blame them," Red Robin laughed.

"Not funny man, by the way… Kiran slapped me," he said rubbing his cheek.

"What did you do?" Red Robin asked clearly worried. He knew he saw her boundless potential and didn't want anything to push her away.

"I tried to kiss her," more like he misjudged the moment, but he was sure that was how Kiran saw it.

"You… we need to talk," he could hear the lecture at the tip of his friend's tongue.

"I know I messed up. Look, I already spoke to the Ollie and he gave me some advice. I will apologize and keep my distance from her until things get back to normal," he said with a sigh. It wouldn't be easy but when he decided to become Kid Flash, he knew he would have to give up many things.

"You better," Red Robin said.

"Sheesh, like you never made a mistake when it comes to girls," he said before he spotted on the reflection of a shop's window the reflection of a kid around his age filming him with a phone.

"Certainly not like yours," Red Robin said with a laugh.

"Some friend you are," he said laughing too, "I talk to you later." Then, he promptly hung up, before going into a music store. He browsed over CDs as he kept an eye out over his assailant. He was not very good at this so it took him no time to see him meet with Carol. He felt a burst of rage on his chest. Was she telling his friends who she thought he was?

He bought some CDs he thought looked interesting before taking the first bus to his grandparent's place. All the while, he kept a dissimulated look over Carol and her friend. He rode the bus wondering how he would handle more than one person knowing his secret.

He had got off one station before he was close to the Flash's home, to make sure he was not being followed. When he got to their home, he only found his grandmother looking after the twins.

"Bart, sweetie, you look as if you had seen a ghost,"

"Sort of," he said before he explained to her what was happening.

Iris listened to him without a word until he was done. He waited for her advice but instead had him sit to eat as she called the Garricks to tell them he would be home later. Only until he was done eating, and feeling better did she have him sit with him to talk about the matter.

"You already know what to do," Iris told him, "you are smart boy Bart, but you want a different answer than the one you already received."

"She could betray me," he said.

"She could, but maybe she won't," Iris told him. "You could spend all your life only with the Titans as friends and not take the risk, or you could and have a great experience out of life."

"I… I will think about it," he said before Aunt Dawn pulled on his leg. He picked her up and sat her on his lap. "What would you and gramps do if she gave my identity away?"

"Stop worrying about us, and for once think about you, Bart. We have plenty of contingency plans in case something like that happens," she told him with a smile. "Barry is also sort of a worry wart," she said picking Dan up and sitting him on her lap, "I wonder if your father will be the same."

"As far as I can remember, he will be," he laughed as the toddlers started babbling to each other. The future seemed so far away.

888

By nighttime when he finally made it home he stopped a few petty thefts, returned at least half a dozen lost pets and helped a few old ladies across the street. After running, he felt much surer of what he wanted but knew he couldn't be reckless about it. Every impulse in his body said to seek Carol and talk to her. First, he had to find her intentions.

He washed his face after dinner when he lifted his head, he thought he saw things.

"Bart, we need to talk," Wally said looking at him through the mirror.

"What?" he asked before his hand reached for him and pulled him in and back into the Speed Force.

He found Wally pacing back and forth before he pulled him back to where the crack was found. It had grown at least twice its original size.

"Bart, I will not be able to keep whatever is trying to come through for long. Once it does, it will be easier to seal, but whatever or whoever it is… they are powerful. I can feel it." Wally told him needlessly. He could also sense the great power trying to break through the crack. He knew they would have trouble when and if it happened.

"What about reality tearing apart?" he asked worried. It hadn't even been a week since he learned of this place and he was already messing up.

"It will be weakened, but I will stay here to keep others from breaching it," Wally said not looking at him.

"You mean you will be trapped here forever," he said trying to get a look at his face. He looked impassive.

"Bart, you can't tell anyone," Wally said finally turning to look at him in the eye.

"That you are alive? Not even to your parents?" Artemis got someone new on her life, but the West just couldn't replace Wally with another kid.

"They can't come here. They are not connected to the Speed Force like we are. It would only be torture to them to know," and for him too, Bart realized. Wally didn't need any more attachments or worries of home and he understood why. His cousin did not require any doubts when choosing the world over himself.

"I can take your place," he offered.

"I see what is becoming of your life Bart; I can't take that away from you. I won't have it," Wally said ruffling his hair.

"This isn't fair…" he muttered before he heard Wally for the first time in a very long time.

"Since when has it ever been any other way?" Wally told him not one bit resentful that he had to stay.

As he finally lay on his bed after that long day, he decided he didn't like Mondays.

888

The following morning he got all the information Tim found on Carol Bucklen. She was on her own right a child genius and as she had said, her brother, her only living relative insisted she assisted High School like any other girl her age though she could be leaping years with ease. He found her in her trig class and realized they pretty much shared the same schedule. How come he didn't notice before?

When he got to class, she had taken the seat next to his and was reading a book. He knew she was watching him over the book as he sat. She wasn't really good at spying on people. He sat, brought his phone out and started texting his old friend Blue. It seemed his friend had quit the internship for now due to all the stuff he had going on. He had tried to tell his friend that, but couldn't find the words so it wouldn't sound like an insult. Since he met Jaime, he learned his friend was very prideful. It also seemed Tim had told him of his complete failure when trying to kiss Kiran and about Carol suspecting of his secret identity.

**Dude, I don't get it. This girl probably likes you, that's why she took notice of you. And you are head over hills for Kiran who all cares about is about becoming a better hero for her country. There is nothing wrong with that, but that's where her priorities are. Ask Leonid or Miguel, they will tell you the same. Why don't you try to get to know this Carol girl better? You might like her. **Blue answered.

**Just no, I am going to try to befriend her but not more than that. Really, can't you think of girls like just friends? **

**I have friends who are girls. **Jaime wrote but didn't bother to name any of them.

**Paco told me you like a girl that uses magic. **He wrote back with a smirk.

**Since when do you and Paco share information? **His friend didn't take even five seconds to reply back.

**Since last Saturday, he also told me you went on to fight a demon on your own with her and got a bullet-hole on your arm. You are a terrible example of how to behave when you like someone. **Though he was worried, his friend actually got shot. It was a first for him though Paco assured him he was fine.

**I am going to kill him, and then I am going to kill you. **Jaime wrote back including a little angry face.

**I have to go, class is going to start. **He laughed as the first bell rang. In a few minutes, the class would start.

**Yeah, I have to get back to work. Drop by tonight if you have time. We are going to be watching some horror movies at Tim's place. **Jaime wrong back sending him a quick of a car he was installing wiring on.

**Sounds like a plan. **He wrote back before looking at their conversation. It seemed somewhat typical with the exception of the mention of magic and bullet wounds.

"That's either a good friend or your girlfriend. You were smiling the whole time," Carol Bucklen said trying to pick on his phone.

"A good friend," he said turning off the screen.

"Do they go to school here?" she asked curiously.

"No, he moved away because he starts college in a few months," though he kept the part of him being in San Francisco out. It would be too much of a coincidence.

"Oh, so…" she started lowering her voice again.

"Are you going to keep insisting I am Kid Flash?" he asked with a sigh.

"Well, you fit the physical built," she said before she brought out some blurry pictures of him.

"What? Kid Flash is a skinny twerp," he said taking a look at the images. She was bluffing. It was impossible to tell as the pictures were too blurry. "I am not skinny. I am slim."

She started laughing before pushing her glasses up.

"Why are you so invested in finding who Kid Flash is anyways? You know that can only bring you trouble, right?" he recalled a talk Black Canary had given him back when he started with the Team. Back then he didn't grasp the full importance of secret identities.

"That's something Kid Flash would say," Carol said with a smile. She wasn't telling him and he wondered what was she planning to do with that knowledge.

"No, that's what my uncle told me when I tried to find out the Flash's identity. If it gets out you know a capes identity, usually their enemies come looking for you. Think, even people like Lois Lane and my aunt Iris are just friends with some capes and bad guys used to kidnap them all the time," which sort of stopped when it was found out she married an 'average' fellow.

"It is sort of dangerous, isn't it?" she said with little thought. He wondered if she really understood.

"Exactly, I mean, it sounds sort of fun but just think what if the bad guys thought I was really Kid Flash. I will be dead meat in less than a day if that happens," and when he said that she looked slightly scared because what is if she was wrong and indeed ended up getting him hurt or worse.

"I guess you are right. Besides, I heard Kid Flash was a charming guy, you are sort of a downer," she said giving him a disinterested look.

"A downer? I will have you know I am the spirit of the party when I am with my friends… and I just pushed myself back on your list, didn't I?" he slapped his face. Damn him and his big mouth.

"Yes, you did," she said with a playful smile.

"Look, I will help you find out who is really Kid Flash if you want. You are not the only smart person around," he said crossing his arms. What was he getting himself into?

"You want to help me find out who he is?" she asked wide eyed.

"Yeah, I have to meet some friends later, but I can help after school," he said with a shrug.

"I have never seen you be friends with anyone in school," she asked studying him.

"That's because my friends go to different schools or are a little older, that's all," he said as if it was something normal.

"Oh," Carol looked a little unsure how to take that. He just didn't get along with many kids his age and those he got along with were not the average kind.

"We can go see my aunt after school and see if she knows anything. She met the Flash a few times when he first started. She will probably be able to point us in the right direction," he said calmly.

"That- that's great!" she said before the teacher came into the classroom and gave her a questioning look, "sorry." She shrank into her seat with a little blush but was still smiling.

Tim was going to kill him when he found out. Still, he couldn't help smiling too.


	20. Chapter 20

Kid Flash's Not so Easy Path 20

He couldn't remember ever having hanging out after school with other kids his age who didn't wear costumes. Carol was a weird mix of shy and adventurous. He liked her, not like Blue liked every girl he met that was single. He just liked her. When they got to his 'aunt' Iris home, she asked all the questions she had written down, but also blushed a lot. The blush only grew when his 'uncle' Barry got home after getting wind of what was going on. He looked only slightly worried, but after explaining in speedster mode, he hid all that worry. They had to throw the girl off track somehow.

"Well, the Flash isn't a secretive guy. When he stops to eat, he will chat with the people about him. You could probably go to one of the places his frequents and try to get hold of him," Barry said as he bounced his boy on his knee.

"What about Kid Flash?" Carol asked trying to control her discomfort. Was she intruding? Of course, she was, but his family was too nice to say anything about it.

"Well, since the whole Titans thing, he hasn't been around as much, but it isn't rare for him to join Flash too," Barry said as he tried to handle Dan and a notepad at the same time.

"So if we go to one of those places we might spot the two of them," he said receiving a list of some of their favorite restaurants.

"Right, but I don't think they will agree to tell you who they are. Besides, that's sort of dangerous," Barry said with a gentle smile.

"Tell me about it. Could you believe people thought I had something going on with the Flash?" Iris said as she held her girl.

"He could only wish," Barry said kissing his wife on the cheek.

"Ehm," Carol looked away blushing brightly.

"Will you ever go off newlywed mode?" he asked them standing up.

"Is there any other?" Barry and Iris laughed before Carol and he ran away from the sight.

"So, we got our target locations. We can start to check them out tomorrow," he told Carol as they started walking down the street.

"Are they always like that?" Carol asked him.

"Huh?" he asked sincerely confused.

"Your aunt and uncle?" she asked him. She was still blushing from seeing them do simple pecks on the cheek. In a way, it was endearing.

"Nha, they just like to embarrass me. They might think I like you or something like that," he bet that was it, but he was also wanted to see what she would do. Blue was really a bad influence when it came to women.

"Re-really?" she asked him blushing even more and with wide eyes.

"Yeah, they don't get I just don't care about that stuff right now. What's normal anyway, right?" he said quoting her words.

"Right," she said with a nervous laugh.

"Listen, I have to get home. I will see you tomorrow and we will go from there," he told her as they reached an intersection.

"Ehm Bart?" she said when he was going to start walking away.

"Yeah?" he asked noticing she couldn't meet his eyes.

"You aren't him, are you?" she asked him. She was so different from yesterday, he wondered if it was the same person.

"What can I say? The only extraordinary thing about me is how embarrassing my family can be," he said with a large smile.

"But you knocked Kevin down," she said looking at him defiantly.

"My uncle works at the police station. My aunt is a black belt. It was bound I would learn something. But don't be so down. Let's try this out and see what comes out of it," though she seemed sure he wasn't Kid Flash, he had to throw her off some more, though he still had no idea how. He hoped Tim would have time to help him after lecturing him.

"Yeah, see ya tomorrow," she said with more confidence before she started to run in the opposite direction.

"Bye," he said wondering if she had heard him. He walked for a while before being sure she wasn't following. He got home the next moment and did all everything he needed to before he was free to go see his friends. But first, he took a deep breath. He had to apologize to Kiran. He really didn't know how, but he knew he couldn't ask anyone to help with this. So, he did the first thing he thought was right. He raced to Kiran's home and in the way picked the most beautiful flowers he could find. When he knocked on her door he had expected Kiran's _chachi _to answer, instead Kiran herself did.

She looked as shocked as he did before she politely invited him inside.

"I just came to apologize," he said offering her the flowers, "I misjudged and did something that made you upset. I am very sorry and I hope we can still be friends."

"They are beautiful," she said receiving the flowers with a gentle smile, "thank you and you are forgiven."

"Really?" he asked her with worried eyes.

"Yes, but next time I won't slap you," she said showing him some of her power crackling on her hand.

"Message received and understood," he said with a nervous smile.

"Come and have some Masala Chai before you go," she said inviting him to the living room where her _chachi_ waited with a patient smile.

The older woman made polite conversation with him and Kiran. It seemed Kiran was not allowed to receive visitors on her own.

"I am not a child anymore _chachi, _I can take care of myself," Kiran said with a humorous laugh.

"I don't doubt you can, but it gives your father some peace of mind," the older woman said in English.

"Father worries too much," Kiran declared but not meanly. "If he could fly, he would follow me everywhere."

"I don't doubt he is looking for a way," the old woman said before they laughed. It seemed Kiran felt conflicted by her father's protectiveness. She appreciated he cared so much for her, but at the same time she wanted her freedom. After living on her own, she had come to taste it and had even enjoyed it through her trials.

The Masala Chai was delicious, and it was clear from his expression he enjoyed it. The older woman made sure to get the mixture of the black tea with other herbs so he could take home. The woman was nothing but amiable to him. In the end, she thanked him for helping to bring Kiran home when the young lady was out of earshot.

"Don't give up young man," the woman said as she saw him out, "she was raised to make men fight for her. It's not meant to be cruel, but to keep those who aren't sincere about their feelings and intentions away from her."

He gave the woman a quick hug, which squished the package she had given him, before thanking her and leaving. After leaving the bundle with the Garricks, and explaining what it was, he set off for San Francisco for movie night.

"You look like you… wait! You talked to Kiran?" Jaime said when he noticed he wouldn't stop smiling.

"He looks like he got h-" Leonid started before he got an elbow to the gut from Conner.

"She forgave me," he announced ignoring the way Leonid and Conner were glaring at each other and whispering in hushed tones.

"Good, now let's get-" Tim said before getting interrupted.

"Wait, what about the girls?" Kyle asked clearly disappointed.

"They are not coming," Conner said matter of fact.

"What? Why?" Paco just like Kyle looked crestfallen.

"Celine went with Kara for a girl's night out. They invited Kiran, but she couldn't go," Tim explained.

"I bet," no wonder Kiran had seemed so happy to see him. Unless it was the weekend, they wouldn't be seeing much of her.

"So… with no girls around, what are exactly our choices," Jaime tried to ask discreetly but failed miserably.

"Oh, let's watch a series in the Webflix!" Leonid said with shining eyes.

"Ehm, no," Tim said as he started to pull out his collection of horror movies.

"C'mon!" Paco had said in frustration before others joined him in their demand. Conner and Tim tried to quiet them down, but it seemed fruitless.

"What's so special about Webflix?" he asked before they all stopped.

"_Dios mio_," Jaime said looking at him with a nervous smile; something between laughing and embarrassment.

"Tim?" the rest of the guys now looked at their leader for advice. He still didn't get what was so special about series on Webflix.

"One eighties horror movie and then you can pick to watch whatever you want," Tim said sort of disappointed. His friend had a strange liking for gory eighties movies, but he knew he wouldn't be able to stop the rest from watching what they wanted.

"Alright!" they celebrated before picking the movie. They ended up selecting A Nightmare on Hawthorns Avenue, which was incredible. After all they had seen, it was a hard to scare them, but this movie had done it for those who hadn't seen it yet. He hoped there was never really such an evil guy like the one in the movie, Crazy Fred. When that one was over, the rest fought over what to pick on the Webflix. Conner didn't look impressed at all but didn't interfere. Tim leaned back on the couch already bored. Jaime was trying to keep the rest from starting a serious fight until they picked one they all agreed on called Hemlock Orchard.

"Bart," Tim said as the series started. He noted there was a slight tint on his friend's face. "Don't tell Flash you watched this."

888

"What has been seen can't be unseen," someone passed a hand in front of his face a few times until he reacted.

"Eh?" he turned to see Conner looking at him curiously "is it over?"

"The first two episodes," Conner said, "are you okay?"

"Yeah," he said standing up and stretching.

"I don't think I have ever seen him stay still for so long," he heard Jaime tell Tim before the two started laughing.

"Not funny," he told them looking away from them.

"It's getting late, everyone go home," Conner declared to the drowsy, mind numbed teens and young adults.

"Aw c'mon! Let's watch the whole- never mind," Paco was starting to say before one glare from Conner made him change his mind.

With looks of defeat, most of them left the apartment.

"I will start the first patrol," Jaime said as he exited "later." Those who lived in San Francisco took turns watching the city at night.

As he and Conner left, so Tim could get some sleep, he looked at Conner questioningly.

"What is it?" Conner sighed when they reached the street.

"Is it really like that?" he asked the other teen.

"Ehm, no," Conner said though he looked slightly unsure.

"How is it like then?" he asked.

"You should ask Flash about that," Conner said walking away from him faster.

"But what if he makes more puppets?" there was always the risk of that.

"Then ask Jaime to explain to you," Conner said walking away even faster.

"He has never done it," he told the clone.

"I am not talking about _that_ with you," Conner stopped and turned to say to him through greeted teeth.

"C'mon, you guys let them corrupt my mind, now you got to help me," he said before he saw Conner grimace. He guessed that sounded wrong to the boy of steel.

"I need to get back to Metropolis to patrol," Conner told him before starting to walk away again. "I will find someone who can talk to you about that, okay?" but he left before Bart could really answer.

When he got to the Garrick's, the couple was already sleeping but had left him dinner on the table. He ate on his own pondering on Carol's words, what was normal anyways? From the beginning he knew he was different and 'normal' was just an act for him. Probably his version of normal wasn't even right, but it was fun. No one could deny that. He liked a girl that was hard to get, was that normal? That sounded about right. He made his friends uncomfortable with some of his ignorance when it came to _that, _was that normal? It was hilarious, but he guessed it was normal when you were younger than some of your friends (though he wasn't sure if to count Conner on that one).

888

The following day they sat at Joe's Dinner, one of his favorite places to eat as they waited for the Flash to make an appearance. After asking about, this seemed to be the place he frequented the most. He knew that from the beginning but Carol didn't. She looked genuinely excited about the whole thing. She would jump to turn every time the door opened. Meanwhile, he was still lost in his thoughts from the night before. He still liked Kiran very much, but was it the thriller of the chase what he really enjoyed? He thought she was an amazing, tough, and beautiful girl but did he truthfully feel that way about her? Was it the _normal_ part of him finally catching up?

"Earth to Bart," Carol said waving her hand in front of his face. Twice in less than twenty-four hours? That had to be a record.

"Sorry, what did you say?" he asked her.

"Are you bored?" she asked him a little worried.

"No," he responded eating some of his fries, "I am just wondering if it would be better to wait here or at one of the other restaurants."

"Statistically speaking, we are better off waiting here," she showed him the chart she had come up with.

"Alright," he said taking his notebook out and working on some his homework.

"So, did you have fun last night?" she asked him after a few moments of silence.

"Yeah," he said as he kept on writing.

"So, what did you do with your friends?" she asked him looking at her own fries.

"Watch a movie," he told her picking at her as discreetly as possible.

"What type of movie?" she asked happy to have something they could talk about.

"A horror movie, A Nightmare on Hawthorns Avenue," he told her stopping what he was doing. What was she doing? There was something else going on here.

"Cool, I like that movie," she said, "you watched the old one, right?"

"Is there any other?" he remembered the big deal Tim made about the remake.

"Did you watch the sequels too?" she asked him leaning forwards.

"No, just the first one," he told her noticing she was starting to blush but didn't say anything about it.

"Might be for the best, the sequels are okay but nothing beats the first one," she said with a nervous smile.

Okay, something else was definitely going on. He wished he could pause time for a sec and ask his friends what it was.

"I guess I would like to watch them. I will ask my friend if he has them," he said trying to follow the flow of the conversation but it was a little hard to when she leaned across the table. He wasn't blind for God's sake.

"Oh, ehm I have them. My brother loves them so…" her smile only grew until he could see little dimples on her cheeks.

"He won't mind if I borrow them?" he asked testing the waters. Maybe Carol would actually become his first friend who wasn't a cape after all.

"Oh he would, so why don't you come over some time and we can watch them together," she said leaning back on her seat again.

"Okay," he said feeling like he could breathe again. Note to self, don't sit across from Carol again.

"Please, make it to go."

"You go it Flash, so where is the Kid?" they heard the waitress say before they turned around and spotted the Flash sitting on a stool.

"You know how kids are like when they are growing up. One day they can't stop following you around, and the next they want to do things on their own," the Flash sighed as Carol stumbled out of her seat.

"So, he really is part of the Titans," Carol asked him before Flash turned to face her, "ehm, sorry my name is Carol and- and this is my friend Bart."

"Hey," Flash said pleasantly "yeah, he will still help around here, but not as much. I am glad the kid is expanding his horizons, but you know…"

"Does he go to school here?" she said struggling to write everything down.

"Nha, he would die of boredom because of our abilities. You want to be a reporter?" Flash asked taking notice that she was writing things down.

"Ehm…" she started to blush brightly.

"We wanted to see if we could find out who he was. It would increase our chances if he went to one of the schools from around," Bart said feeling sad for her. This was a secret they just couldn't let anyone into.

"Oh, I see. Sorry kids, we are great at hiding our civilian identities. It's important to us so we can protect our family and friends," as Flash said those words he could see a new understanding grow in Carol's eyes.

"Oh," she said slightly disappointed.

"Here is your order Flash," the waitress said returning with a bag.

"Thanks, Betsy," Flash said to the waitress, "see you around kids."

"Any day honey," the waitress said before the Flash was gone.

"We really blew it, didn't we?" Carol said dragging her feet back to their booth.

"It was worth a try," he said with a shrug.

"I never imagined it would be that easy to meet him," Carol said with a small smile, "he really is a friendly guy."

"The more you know and all that, right?" he said, "and it makes you sort of glad we aren't in Gotham. Could you imagine Batman strolling here in the middle of the day?"

"And the Batmobile waiting outside for him?" Carol said her smile only growing.

"No, better yet the Batmobile at the drive through," he said before he burst laughing.

"I guess we would make terrible detectives," Carol said between small fits of laughter.

888

He found he was on a slippery slope when it came to matters of being 'normal.' He couldn't deny he liked Carol, but as a new friend he just made. He didn't see her the way she saw him. This made him worry because he had seen what happened to people when they were rejected. Capes or not, people were still people, and they all could feel pain.

**I told you she likes you, **Jaime wrote back to him after writing to him about the invitation he got from Carol to go to her place to watch some horror movies.

**So, what do I do? **He asked his friend though he was sure Jaime was the last person he should be asking this. But Conner wasn't very willing to talk about such things, and he couldn't tell Tim because he was supposed to keep low, but instead he was going over to her place. He was lucky the night before Tim didn't chew him out.

**First, make sure she really is off your track. **Jaime wrote.

**I know that. **He answered immediately. He wasn't so hopeless.

**Try not to mess it up. **Jaime wrote due to his experience with Brenda. That one burned down so brightly that it could have been seen from outer space.

**But I don't like her that way. **Yeah, they laughed and after talking a little while he found they had much in common, but he still barely knew her.

**You made it sound like you do. **Jaime wrote back also sending a smiley face.

**I didn't. **Did he? He checked back on what he wrote before and realized he did.

**Yes, you did, give it a try. She sounds nice. **His friend wrote without teasing.

He decided he would try. Carol also wanted to try, right? She wouldn't have been so fast to invite him over otherwise. But that didn't mean he couldn't ask someone else for advice.

"Wait, you are asking me to give you advice on dating? I have never dated," Mia said as they sat in her living room.

"I know, I know, but my friends have no idea, and I couldn't think of anyone better to ask than you. I mean, how you would like your first date to be?" he asked her.

"Definitely not watching horror movies," Mia said crossing her arms and leaning back on the couch.

"Please," he begged her.

"You capes don't have much of a social life, do you?" she said with a raised eyebrow.

"Social life? What is that?" they heard Oliver say from the kitchen from where he and Dinah were listening to them.

"Shush," Dinah said leaning forwards not even trying to hide. This was the first time they had ever seen Bart act this way. Well, at least for Dinah, since Oliver had given advice to the boy once before and it seemed it had worked.

"Well," Mia said, "don't go too fast."

"Ehm…" he was Kid Flash.

"I know, I know. Just hear me out. Take it slow. It sounds like she is new at this as much as you. First, try to get closer to her. No touching, just closer. Now she might get nervous because of this so don't go any further until she is comfortable with you being close to her. Then, you are going to slip your hand on top of hers. If she doesn't pull her hand back, it means that she is interested. If she pulls her hand back but smiles, it means she not ready or that she is just looking to be friends. If she pulls her hand back and moves away from you, for sure she is not looking for anything else but to be frien- Are you taking notes?" she asked when she noticed his notepad.

"Yes," Bart and Oliver answered at the same time.

"What? The girl actually makes sense unlike most women," Oliver said before Dinah rolled her eyes at him. "Say, what would you recommend for a romantic dinner?"

"What am I now, the capes' love guru?" Mia said laughing, which was something she had started doing more as she spent more time with Dinah, Oliver, and especially when Bart visited.

"We have been looking for someone to fill the role."

888

"You know you could have asked me," Wally said as he tried to help him seal the fracture in time and space. It seemed they were able to do a better job together though Wally didn't like him to. The whole thing usually left him exhausted, the reason why his cousin also had trouble with it.

"From what I heard, you weren't the smoothest around girls when you were my age," Bart said through greeted teeth. He liked having these talks with his cousin, but he wished it was under different circumstances. Like his cousin, he could feel the other presence trying to break into their time stream.

"But I still got the girl, right?" Wally laughed though it didn't sound all that sincere. The young man was well aware Artemis was moving on. Never once did he give a hint that he resented it, but it couldn't feel good either.

"Kiran is very different from Artemis," Bart said taking a step back once they were done. It looked much better than a few days ago.

"And from Carol too, right?" Wally said giving him a smug look.

"You saw that too?" was his cousin turning into his stalker?

"It gets dull here, and between you and I, you guys are much more interesting to watch than the Team. No fun or drama with them at all, though the new guys might take care of that," Wally said as they returned to the many islands floating in the Speed Force.

"New guys?" he asked as his cousin checked the many windows around them. He realized that although many of them showed different points in time, other showed what was going on in the present.

"Yeah, the League found new members for the Team. You guys left a huge gap," Wally told him leading him to a window, "ah, there they are."

The window showed them the training rooms of the Watchtower, mostly used by the Team. The leader then of the Team, Miss Martian, was talking to the new members about their responsibilities around the base and their training schedules.

"She is like a drill sergeant," Bart said remembering his first training sessions with the Team.

"Same old M'gann," Wally said with a smile though he could bet his cousin wished more than nothing than to talk his old friend.

"Ehm, excuse me," the smallest of the new members raised her hand. She was a young girl dressed in brown and white garbs, her eyes were bright blue and her hair blond and long. Even in his eyes, she seemed too young to be there.

"Yes, Secret?" Miss Martian said addressing the girl.

"I don't have a solid physical form so- well, I can't train or do chores," the young girl floated in the air, her legs turning to smoke and the rest of her becoming translucent.

"Wait, she is a ghost?" he asked feeling the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He didn't like magic or anything related to the stuff.

"Yeah, she is an old friend of Zatanna and Artemis. It seems she was murdered by her brother, and supposedly after Zatanna and Artemis got her justice the girl left this world. It turns out she made friends with Dead Man and the Specter on her way out and was able to work a deal to remain in between the realms. Those two inspired her to want to help even though her life is over," and the way Wally said it made him realize his cousin was not much different than the girl. He had chosen to remain in the Speed Force, for the sake of everyone else and give up his life.

"Who are the rest?" he asked noting none of them were using uniforms.

"Now, I wouldn't want to spoil the surprise," Wally said pushing the window away.

"Why didn't gramps tell me about it?" not that he was angry. He understood that with not just them leaving but Kaldur moving to the League, and Dick looking after Blüdhaven, the Team had lost almost half of their members. Miss Martian, Beast Boy, Lagoon Boy, Wonder Girl, Static, Tigress, Bumblebee, and Guardian remained, but he was sure some of them would be moving on from the Team sooner or later.

"Well, you guys are no longer affiliated with the League or the Team. He really isn't at any liberty to tell you about it," Wally reminded him. Part of being independent agents meant they weren't in the loop of everything the League and the Team did.

"Right, right," he said with a sigh, "do you think I can come over every once in a while and take a pick?"

"I don't see why not," Wally said with a shrug, "as long as you don't forget to bring some snacks over."

He was happy to see Wally was keeping busy, kind of. He would try to bring more than just snacks over.

888

He dressed like he usually did, be casual like Mia told him to. He knocked Carol's door and waited as he checked the notes he wrote. Be his usual self and take things slowly. No kissing unless she started it, anything after kissing was a no until they got to know each other better. But what if she insisted? Would it wound her if he rejected her? Were his hands sweating?

"Bart, you are here!" Carol said happily when he opened the door.

"Yeah, brought some snacks," he said showing her a big bag of Chicken Wheezes.

"Thanks, you shouldn't have," she said taking them from him as he went into the small apartment. At once on the couch he spotted the back of a blond head. "Hey Preston, guess whose here."

"You weren't kidding, hey," the blond teen said to him.

"Ehm, hey," he waved pathetically.

"This is Preston; he is a friend and big fan of horror movies," Carol said pulling him to sit with them.

"We were just about to start," Preston said showing him the box of the movie they were about to watch. "Let's get this started."

Yeah, nothing was going to happen.

888

"See you at school!" Carol shouted as Bart left waving her hands enthusiastically. The other teen waved back halfheartedly.

"You are a coward," Preston declared as he picked his stuff to leave.

"I am not," Carol said unable to meet her friend's eyes.

"The guy looked like a kicked puppy when he saw me," Preston told her.

"He doesn't like me that way," she said as she started to pick up some of the trash from their junk food.

"You don't know that, you are pretty amazing, you know?" his friend told her, which made her blush.

"Just go home Preston, my brother will be home any time now," she said as she tried to hurry to clean up.

"Wouldn't want to make Bobby angry," Preston said rolling his eyes, "see you later."

Once she was done with the cleaning, she sat on the couch and sighed. She had panicked an hour away from Bart arriving and had called Preston because she was scared of being alone with Bart. She felt so pathetic. Just as she was about to get ready to sleep, she heard someone knock on the door. It wasn't rare for her brother to forget his keys so she went to open.

"Hey," Bart said standing before her with a nervous smile.

"Hey," she said after the shock wore out, did he forget something?

"Is Preston still around?" he asked taking a little pick into the living room.

"No, he left," she said starting to worry. She was all alone with him now.

"Listen, Carol, I-" he started to say before he seemed at loss for words, "ehm, never mind." He began to turn around to leave.

"Bart wait!" she said pulling him back and without thinking placed a kiss on his lips.

Neither one moved for a moment, just stared at each other's eyes in shock as they realized what they were doing. They separated from their chaste kiss and suddenly couldn't look at each other.

"Is this normal?" he asked her.

"I think so," she said before biting her lip.

"Normal isn't so bad," he said with a lopsided smile before being able to look at her again.

"Yeah," she said with a nervous smile as she leaned forwards at the same time as him.

"Carol! What are you doing?!" both jumped apart before turning and spotting a young man striding towards them in fury. "What are you doing to my little sister?!"

888

Somewhere in the Speed Force, Wally was laughing his ass off.


	21. Kiss and Run

**Kiss and Run**

Bobby Bucklen stared at him as if he had just robbed his parents' graves. He and Carol stood back from the short lived kiss before Bobby pulled him off his feet by his shirt. He was definitely feeling the mode. At that time running seemed like an excellent idea but, of course, he couldn't because he would give himself away. He could fight Bobby, but he had promised his grandfather he wouldn't fight civilians.

"Stop it!" Carol said pulling on her brother's arms until he lowered him, "it was just a kiss!"

"Just a kiss! You-" he shook Bart. He was tempted on just running.

"Stop trying to act like my dad," Carol said crossing her arms.

"I am not. I just don't want this punk to take advantage of you," Bobby said shaking Bart again.

"His name is Bart and he wasn't taking advantage of me. I am the one who kissed him," Carol said, her face turned red.

"You…" her older brother stared at her as if she had lost her mind.

"You want to call my uncle?" he had enough of being shaken and asked Bobby.

"What about your parents?" Bobby said remembering he was there.

"Dead," he said before showing him the number on his cellphone.

His grandfather could have been there in less than ten seconds but, of course, they had to make it seem like they didn't have powers. To call torture the harsh stare Bobby was too kind of a description. It was half an hour before Barry arrived after an accusatory message from Bobby.

"Hey Carol," he waved friendlily to the girl who waved back. This seemed to bother Bobby even more. "You must be Carol's brother. Name is Barry Allen," he said offering a hand to Bobby to shake.

"Robert Bucklen," Bobby said shaking Barry's hand with a serious face.

"He goes by Bobby," Carol said before her brother glared at her.

"Alright Mr. Bucklen, please tell me what my nephew has done to deserve to be called a wicked influence and if I recall correctly, a corrupter of young girls," Barry said remaining calm and friendly.

"Yeah Bobby, tell him," Carol said looking away from the scene. Bobby seemed at a loss of words which was starting to worry Barry.

"We kissed," Bart said stopping all the wild ideas in his grandfather's mind.

"Oh… ooooh!" Barry said looking at him with a wide, gleaming smile.

"Please don't look at me like that," Bart said running a hand down his face.

"I can't help it. You just never-" Barry started to say.

"I am not talking to you about that," Bart said before pointing at Bobby, "go ahead and tell him what a horrible human being I am and let me suffer in silence."

He and Carol stood on the balcony. Her brother and his grandfather talked from where they could see them but not hear them.

"This is exactly how I thought my first kiss would go," Carol said before he gave her a curious look. "I am serious. My brother is always doing stuff like this. If it wasn't because of his work, he would pick me up from school. Heck, he would probably never let me leave his side. That's so lame."

"It isn't," he said, "he wants to make sure you are okay."

"Sorry," she said leaning her forehead on the rail.

"For what?" he asked.

"For complaining, I know Bobby is only doing what he thinks is right for me, but he keeps treating me like a ten year old," she said.

"Just tell him more of what you want and try to work it out," to him it seemed Bobby cared a lot about his sister and her happiness.

"My brother is not open minded like your uncle," she said with a short laugh.

"Sometimes he is too open minded. It's horrible," he said with a crooked smile.

"How can that be?" she asked. To her, Barry seemed like the perfect uncle.

"Puppets," he said before telling her of the horrifying tale of Barry trying to teach him about intimacy with a pair of puppets. Of course, he left the complete cape details out of it.

"I take everything back. I will stick to my overprotective brother!" Carol said laugh loudly.

"Hey!" he couldn't help laughing.

"You two are in trouble… ehm kind of," Bobby said looking at them with a bit more ease.

"See?" whatever point Barry had been trying to make, it had just hit home.

As they drove back home after agreeing to a temporary truce he wished he could just run. But, they had to keep appearances. So, the drive was torture.

"If you go on a date, you got to bring her a gift. Start with something easy, like going to watch a movie. Only holding hands, and you can kiss but make sure her brother is nowhere in sight," Barry said while driving with a wide smile.

"Please stop or I am jumping out," Bart said leaning his head back wishing the drive was over, "and you are not telling anyone about this."

"Aww c'mon!" Barry said, "that's the best part about being your uncle-gramps."

888

"You kissed her and got caught by her brother? That's just rich," Jaime laughed but not wholeheartedly. He knew his friend was still hurting from the death of Richard Perignon. It seemed he still wasn't talking to Paco, Leonid, and Kyle.

"Not funny," he said wanting to tell his friend off.

"It actually is," Conner said with a brief laugh.

"Back to topic; can we stay at your place?" Tim asked Conner.

"Kal El said it was fine, and Kara threatened us only once to keep us from entering her room," Conner said offhandedly.

888

He got to school early which was something he had never done before. He actually disliked going to school. There was no one he could relate to there and time seemed to pass by so slowly it was torturous. But now, there was something he was looking forwards to. Carol and he didn't get the chance about what the kiss meant, but he wanted to make it clear. He liked her. He truly did.

Did he still like Kiran? Of course, but she was not ready to go into a relationship. Without realizing, he was. That one kiss made it clear. He wasn't sure why but it felt right.

When he entered the classroom, he knew the feeling was mutual. She was already there and had a smile when she saw him. He went to sit on the seat in front of her, facing her and was silent for a moment with no idea of what to say. His heart was beating so fast that he thought it would come out his chest with an offering of flowers and chocolates for her.

"I like you" who said that?

"I like you too," Carol said looking at him.

"So, what now? I have no idea what we are supposed to do" and he didn't ask his friends. They were cool, but they had no idea how to be in a normal relationship.

"Me neither, ehm what about we just hang out?" she said with a nervous smile.

"After school? At school too?" they were in almost all the same classes, so that wouldn't be difficult.

"On the weekends?" she asked.

"I am sort of busy, but I will try," he said starting to get worried. He wasn't sure what he was going to do when he had to run off to save someone.

"Okay," but she didn't seem bothered at all.

They kept talking about what happened the night before. It seemed Bobby had a lot difficulty talking to his sister about being responsible. They laughed since now her brother and his grandfather had something on common. They slipped into talking about their search for Kid Flash and Carol's speculations of what the Titans had been doing at Star Labs in Metropolis. She only kept on showing him how smart she was. He was astounded at her recognition of some of the equipment that was captured by the news' crews.

"But that's crazy, right?" she asked him.

"Time travel, yeah," he said with a nervous laugh before shrugging, "but you never know."

"I hope they ask about it in the interview. Just imagine if people could time travel," the faraway look in her eyes told him she was day dreaming, but he couldn't say what it was.

"Then I hope it doesn't look like that. It looked like they almost didn't make it back," he said remembering how the thing almost melted down and he actually didn't make it back until a few months later.

"You are right," she started to laugh like a chiming bell, "I wish I could ask them."

"Get a room already," he heard Kevin say from his seat. He realized then most of the class was already in the room.

"We have no idea why they agreed to the interview. It doesn't feel like it's for publicity. They get enough of that in San Francisco," he told her ignoring Kevin completely.

"I saw the news last night. It looks like they are there to stay," Carol said ignoring Kevin too, "It seems they are looking for more to join them. That girl from India looked incredible. How many Metas are out there?"

"Some people claim they are part of evolution, so probably there will be more over time," he said starting to get up. The bell would ring at any moment.

He sat on his place just when the bell rang and the teacher entered the classroom. He knew Kevin was staring at him, but he kept on ignoring him. He wasn't going to make the same mistake and give him an opening. He allowed himself to get lost in his thoughts. Carol was special, more than she realized. She had a genius intellect. But that scared him. He was sure she would figure everything out. If she did, he feared she would not like him anymore.

A small ball of paper landed on his desk while the teacher turned her back on them. He knew it came from Kevin and without thought threw it into the trash can in the corner of the room. Whatever was in the paper he was sure it would make him want to punch the jock.

At the end of class, they walked together to their next class. Thankfully Kevin was not in that period. She didn't ask him about the piece of paper and he didn't bring it up. But, they both noticed they were starting to get looks. After his 'fight' with Kevin, he knew people would notice him but now they didn't care if he noted. He hadn't counted on this.

"You okay with this?" he asked her when they left their last class.

"Getting cold feet?" she laughed.

"N-no," he said nervously.

"I will be okay," she said giving him a playful shove. "I will see you later."

"Okay," he said waving awkwardly.

888

The setting sun reflecting off the tall buildings painted Central City in yellows, oranges, and reds. Where he came from such sights were no longer existent. When he stood with Carol watching the sunset from her balcony, he realized he had never taken the time to do something like this. Slowing down to look at things wasn't something he was known for. When he left it was with the excuse that he had to get home or he would get grounded. They had kissed for the second time before he left clumsily.

Now, he was fighting a wannabe villain who thought he was funny. The key word was 'thought'. The toy soldiers and helicopters shooting at him were an interesting touch as the Trickster tried to rob a toy story. The exploding rubber chicken was not. It was not the usual Trickster they knew. He was well into retirement when he shattered his knee while cooperating with the police to capture a killer he had once known. He had earned his pardon, but also a life locked in his apartment with bitter feelings towards the world.

"I get you want to be your own man, but couldn't you do it somewhere else like, oh I don't know Gotham? I heard there is a new Robin that also likes to play games," he told to the new Trickster, who had to be around his age.

"Hahaha, you are hilarious Kid Flash, now stand still!" the Trickster said when he tried to shoot him with a water gun filled with acid.

"Really? You come to my city and think I am going to take it easy on you because you a newb," and a water gun filled with acid at that? Talk about amateur. If these were the villains of the next generation they were going to get a lot of free time.

"Don't call me newb! I am a Rogue!" the Trickster shouted before he started throwing him balloons filled with some type of goo. He guessed they were supposed to keep him from moving.

"So Captain Cold is getting that desperate," he said getting hold of the balloons and then juggling one. He threw one at the kid's feet.

"Shut up! He is not the boss of me! I don't follow his stupid rules!" Trickster shouted trying to free his feet.

"Now, what do you mean by that?" he said taking away all of his so called weapons.

"You don't need to know that Kid Flash," on one of the toy's displays he saw the image of one of the real Rogues.

"Mirror Master, what are you doing?" the Trickster shouted when Mirror Master started to pull him into the reflection.

"You broke the rules, Trickster, you just admitted it," Mirror Master said before the Trickster looked pale and became tense. Mirror Master placed a choke hold on him when the kid struggled.

"I did not!" the Trickster wriggled harder and shouted.

"The Rogues only have a few rules…" he said more to himself than them. "What has he done?!" there were very few things that could have been done.

"It's none of your concern Kid," Mirror Master said still trying to get the adolescent to the mirror.

"No! You pulled that kid into our city, my city and he has done something. If it was drugs or because he is acting alone you would leave him to me," the pieces were starting to fit in and they were painting a terrible picture.

"Since when do cities belong to you? If that's the case I will make this city kneel before me," the Trickster said with a wild look in his eyes. He was still scared, but he looked at Kid Flash with an arrogance that gave him chills. The guy was definitely unbalanced.

"No, you won't," Mirror Master said through greeted teeth in fury.

"McCulloch, what has he done?" he called the Mirror Master by his name. Something Flash taught him never to do unless something seemed very dangerous.

"He killed James Jesse," he heard Flash say from behind him. James Jesse was the original Trickster's name.

"We will deal with him; James was one of our own even if he retired," Mirror Master gave them a narrowed look.

"I was following your stupid rules!" the kid started to laugh. "I couldn't be the Trickster as long as he was around!"

"Hand the boy to us McCulloch. We will take him somewhere he can get the proper help he needs," Flash said stepping forwards.

"This isn't like the other times where you could just sit and talk it out. He is a psychopath Flash; there is nothing you can do for him," Mirror Master said before pulling the kid into the mirror before they could make it to them.

"We have to find him," he said to his grandfather when they left the toy store. The authorities were just arriving and Flash went to talk to them without giving him an answer.

"Sorry, you should head home early today," Flash told him when he went back to him.

"How did you know about Jesse?" after some time alone he realized it was something that had yet to be explained.

"We got a call at the station. His body was found in his apartment. The rent and services were still being paid, but the smell…" Barry left the rest unsaid. He realized then that Flash wouldn't meet his eyes. "They won't kill him. I know as much about Snart," he told him though he still wouldn't look at him. Now that they were running that wasn't important.

"But they will hurt him," he said to his grandfather. They wouldn't let him go with just a slap on the wrist.

"I will find him, I promise," Flash told him placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Don't treat me like a child. You know I can handle it," he told his grandfather stopping in the park and pushing his hand away.

"But I don't want you to," Barry told him with a wrinkled brow, "Bart, just do this for me once."

"I am not going home," he said crossing his arms.

Barry ran a hand down his face in frustration. They both knew Bart had seen his fair share of darkness, but that didn't mean Barry was okay with letting him see more.

"Then go see Carol or one of your friends," Barry said rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Go and just be a kid."

"Just say you don't want me getting in your way," he said before taking off. He needed to clear his mind, and the best way had always been to run. Without realizing, he was already standing in front of Carol's apartment building. How could he expect him to try to be a kid when another could be in danger at that time? He couldn't tell Carol what was going on. Even if he did, she wouldn't know what to make out of it. He was running again after changing into his civilian clothing. He stopped in front of Jaime's building only to find Paco sitting outside looking up at the sky.

"Better not go in," Paco told him when he took notice of him. The young man couldn't meet his eyes. Was this something normal for adults? If that was the case, he didn't want part of it.

"Is he okay?" he wondered if Paco made his friend angry again.

"Better than any of us," Paco said with a shrill smile, "he has company."

He had no idea what he meant by that.

"He is with a girl," Paco said trying not to laugh when it dawned on him what he meant and his eyes almost popped out. "I am going to hang out with Kyle at his new place, want to come?"

"I need help," he said walking alongside the young man.

"Spill it out," Paco said before leading him to an old car.

"Villain stuff," he said before explaining to the young man what had happened not long ago.

"That's heavy," Paco said with a frown, "so, aren't you going to try to help him?"

"He doesn't want me to," his grandpa still saw him as a little kid.

"So what?" Paco said, "that's the reason why you are no longer with the League and the Team, right? You can do whatever you want,"

"It's not that simple, he is- they are his-"

"Who fought them first, who protected that city first; all of that shit doesn't matter. The life of a crazy kid is in danger. It doesn't matter how wrong he is in the head, you can't turn your back on him," Paco said. "That's something our, oh so great leader told me when I tried to argue with him about the guy that got killed. Every life matters, right?"

"Right," he said with a nod.

"Then what are you still doing here?" Paco brought the car to a stop, "go and save that kid."

He was gone and running back home the next moment. He got back to the scene of the robbery and started looking for clues.

"**Red Robin to Kid Flash, answer Kid Flash," **his leader said through his communicator.

"**Hey Red," **he said glad to not be doing this on his own.

"**Thorax just contacted me, said you needed to find the Rogues," **Red Robin said.

"**Yes, they might-"**

"**Thorax already explained, I am tracking the Flash's coordinates. He already found them," **a moment later his friend gave him the coordinates.

"**Thanks, Red," **he said already on his way.

He ran towards the top of the building where Jesse James used to live. They didn't make it too hard and he knew there had to be a reason why. Snart was not the kind to make hasty decisions. He almost slipped from the wall of the building when he was stopped by a barrier. He barely had time to catch hold of the edge and pulled himself up to see what was going on. Mirror Master, Weather Wizard, and Heat Wave were all holding hostages in front of mirrors which showed falls from difference building across the country. Captain Cold held his cold gun to Trickster's beaten up head. The kid was muttering under his breath and looking around him frantically for a way to escape.

"You can't help all of them Flash. You have to make a choice. Save those outstanding citizens or let one die in exchange of this assassin to live another day," Snart allowed some of the gun's cold to spread. The kid gave an ear shattering scream as ice extended from his temple towards his face.

"It doesn't have to be like this," Flash said taking a step forwards but the moment he did Heat Wave pulled the woman he was holding close to the mirror. If pushed enough, He knew they would throw one of those people into the mirror. Flash would go after them but at that moment the Mirror Master would close the mirror and Flash would not be able to save the Trickster.

"It has. I told you once already. We take care of our own. Isn't the same way for your kind?" Snart said in a calm tone as if this was the way the world was meant to be.

"You are not a killer Snart," Flash said, "you are not like your old man."

"Things change," Cold said with a shrug before Mirror Master Weather Wizard and Heat Wave all pushed their hostages through the mirrors. Flash with only an apologetic look at Trickster, went into one of the mirrors. They all closed behind him leaving only the reflection of the Rogues.

"I guess this is it," Weather Wizard said running a hand through his dark hair, "I guess this is the end of the Rogues too."

"Let me do it Snart. I will make sure nothing is left," Heat Wave said to their leader.

"All of your go before the Flash returns," he said looking at Trickster.

"Let's go," Mirror master said before opening the mirror into another destination. All, but for the exception of Cold and Trickster left.

"Now, it's just you and me," Cold said more tired than angry. Snart didn't want to do this, but the man believed he had to make a point. He didn't. He wanted to scream but the moment he startled him he would pull the trigger.

He swung inside the apartment and landed in the living room of an old couple that looked at him in shock.

"Will be out of your hair in a moment," he said before he started stacking the furniture until he could reach the ceiling, "please call the cops," and then he began to vibrate his molecules. He hoped Captain Cold hadn't thought about also putting a barrier on the ground. He phased through just behind him. At the sight of his chance, he took the gun from Cold before landing a punch on his jaw.

"That actually hurt," Snart said rubbing his jaw as he started to get up, "not as much as your predecessor, but you are getting there."

"Shut up," he said as he tied Trickster down. The young man muttered curses and praises at him.

"For a moment I thought you wouldn't make it," Snart said sitting and actually looking relieved.

"That's why you left the ground unguarded," that was why they made it so easy for them to find the place. Also, why he didn't shoot Trickster the moment Flash was gone, "you wanted me to stop you."

"No one will ever believe you, and him much less," Captain cold said giving a cool look at Trickster.

When Flash finally made it back, he found the barrier was gone and Trickster still alive. Cold was unconscious and Bart sitting at the edge of the building watching the approaching police cars.

"You knew I was there, right?" he couldn't have just run off and left Trickster to die.

"You are going to be mad," Barry said sitting next to him.

"Why?" he asked as his heart almost stopped.

"Nightwing intercepted your conversation with Red Robin. I knew you were coming," Barry admitted with a slight smile.

"You guys are still intercepting our-" it was impossible to find a frequency that was safe from them.

"Just like you keep hacking into our files," Barry told him.

"Fine, so you knew I would save him," Bart said starting to feel exhausted, "you know we could have stopped it together from the beginning."

"It's just that seeing you with that girl behaving like a regular kid-" Barry just wanted him to enjoy his youth while it lasted.

"I have never been a regular kid, and I don't want to be. I like her, but I am not changing who I am because of her," he said standing up.

"Understood," Barry said with a sigh before Kid Flash left, "teenagers."

"Count yourself lucky. The kid could be a lot worse," Barry turned around to see Snart with his eyes open looking at him.

"Oh shut up, I know you planned it this way," Flash said standing up.

"You two are related, aren't you?" Snart said not threatening him, but also not letting him deny it.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Flash said with a short laugh.

8888

The nightlife of Star City was a bright as its many towering buildings. On his way to see his friend he always found trouble how to not to crash into people, and not in a good way. Still, as he sat on the couch across from her he couldn't help feeling the outside world was nothing but static sound. At first, he had thought she would find solace in his friendship, but soon found it had the same effect on him. She listened wide eyed to all he had to say to the very end. Never judging or fainting interest though he wasn't the best story teller.

"That's amazing. I never thought super villains could be like that," Mia said as they opened the box of pizza Bart brought over.

"The Rogues are special; they have a code. I guess they wanted to give Trickster a scare before he got locked up," that seemed more like Captain Cold's style than cold murder.

"Even if it meant for Captain Cold to get locked up," Mia said looking at the pizza as if would reveal the secrets of the universe to her.

"Flash says he could be a good guy if he just forgot about getting wealthy first" the man was very smart too. He didn't doubt the reason why the rest of the Rogues picked him to be the leader. "So, how are things with the trial? I heard the first hearing will be tomorrow."

"And I will be the first witness," she said with a smile.

"You look happy," he said believing she would be a lot more nervous since her father was the one being charged.

"I finally get to avenge my mom," she said with more grave. It wasn't just her mother she was avenging, but herself too. She had to run away from her home at the sight of her mother being killed, live in horrible places and do things she hated to survive.

"I am happy for you," he said wishing he could take those horrible things away from her.

"Then why do you look like someone kicked your puppy. You got the girl and saved someone. At the top of that, you are going to be on TV soon," she said returning to her cheerful demeanor.

"I was just thinking," he said knowing she wouldn't appreciate his thoughts. Mia saw herself as a survivor and every experience made her stronger.

"When are you not?" she laughed. He wondered if Green Arrow and Black Canary had already noticed Mia had a great insight.

"What if because of us people like Trickster start to come out. Guys that think they can be new bad guys and aren't scared to do anything to get the names," what if they started something they couldn't handle.

"Then you and the rest of the Titans will stop them. You said that you are just starting and there are already twelve of you. Once you get your tower finished, I am pretty sure you are going to get a lot of people who will want to join," she said wringing her hands together.

"It's not going to be so easy," most of them would need training.

"Of course it isn't going to be easy but that's the best part about it," she said keeping her head up.

"Aren't you taking the whole archery thing too serious? You can't carry that stuff around," he said spotting a red quiver in a corner of the room. Where was Green Arrow to interrogate him?

"I am getting there in hand to hand combat too, but Dinah said I need a lot more practice," she said looking at her hands. They had a few blisters. She had been practicing a lot.

"That's what she tells everyone," he muttered remembering his last training session with her.

"What?" Mia asked him.

"I get the feeling you want to join us," he told her looking directly at her.

"Maybe, would it be so bad?" she said lowering her head so her blond hair would hide her face.

"You heard what happened to Green Arrow's last sidekick, right?" she had to know what she was getting into.

"The real one went bad and lost and arm, but his clone is doing okay," of course Green Arrow would tell her. The guy had been rejecting sidekicks left and right since Arsenal went with the Outlaws and Red Arrow retired to look after his family. But why would Mia be any different? He had heard someone had already tried to attack the place and Mia had been able to hold her own. Was that why?

"And that doesn't scare you?" he asked her. Their lives could get very bizarre.

"Does it scare you?" she asked him.

"Of course not. Well, as long as I don't get an evil clone," though two of him didn't sound like a bad idea.

"Then why should I be afraid?" she asked studying him narrowly.

"Because!" he said pulling one of her hands and pointing at her blisters.

"I don't have powers? All the guys at Gotham don't have powers," she said pulling her hand back, "nor Green Arrow."

"They got hurt a lot at the beginning, even Green Arrow," he had seen the scars Tim got at the start and some of Nightwing's too.

"I can stand the pain," she said with pride.

"I know you can, but I don't want you-" he stopped before scowling, and then saying, "I sound just like the Flash."

"Then you can't tell me not to do it," she said with a winning smile. "Checkmate," she took another slice of pizza.

"Even after all I have told you?" he hadn't hidden any of the ugly truths from her.

"What do you think? Besides, it does sound dangerous if you are just fooling around but besides that it looks like you lead a very ordinary life," she said so offhandedly as if she was talking about the latest internet trend.

"I am anything but normal. I can't tell my girlfriend what I do," and that's why he was there talking to her. Superboy was still getting things ready for the interview. Red Robin was hunting for information in Gotham. And, Blue was with someone and that someone happened to be a girl. Not that she was his last resource, but she tended to have a better understanding of what he was going through.

"You could," she told him.

"That's a big no," that was like one of their most important rules.

"Then maybe you need to find a new girlfriend," Mia said looking at him with all the seriousness she could muster.

"I like her," he swore he did.

"She barely knows you. Isn't there someone that knows you better?" she asked him closing some of the space between them.

"Yeah, but she is not interested in a relationship," the ghost of Kiran's slap burned on his cheek.

"I am not talking about Solstice," Mia said frowning.

"Then?" he asked.

"You are thick aren't you?" she said before she took hold of his head and pulled him into a kiss.

He stared at her wide eyed as she closed her eyes. What was he supposed to do? Push her back? Should he just pull back? He felt something wet on his lips.

_He is with a girl_

He recalled Paco's words. This was being with a girl? He thought following Mia's example and opened his mouth. This was very different from kissing Carol. It made him feel stranger than he already was. Her eyelids fluttered as he mimicked more of her movements. She wrapped arms around his neck. He wrapped his arm around her waist bringing their bodies closer. The room felt like an oven the longer they went on. Had they been kissing for a few minutes or had it already been hours. His lizard brain was telling him that it didn't matter, to just enjoy.

When she pulled back to take a breath that was his signal to escape before his lizard brain started again on the softness of her lips, tongue, and body against his.

"I-" he wanted to say he was sorry or that he should go. But the words wouldn't come out. When she stared at him with disbelief and even some anger he felt like an idiot. Still, he was an idiot that didn't know what to say so he ran.


	22. Interview Time III

Follows the events of The Flight of the Blue Beetle 27: Interview Time II

_**Interview Time III**_

Only a few years ago, if anyone told Bart he would be pulling his hair out because of a kiss he would have them checked for Reach parasites. But there he was, pacing back and forth in his room trying to make sense of what just happened. Mia, his friend, kissed him while he was already dating Carol. Why did she do it? Did he do something to give her the wrong idea? And why in the world did he not pull back right away?!

"Ahhh!" he screamed before he fell on his bed face down and started muttering, "you big idiot, you just had to ruin it. Why don't you just let them meet for coffee and watch as your entire life crumbles? Everyone will know you as the two timer speedster."

What was he going to tell Carol? They had been dating for just one day and he already cheated on her. He knew he had to tell her, that was a must, right?

He sat up and went to his work table. He couldn't waste time in this stuff. He was not done with their Teletransportation prototype and the interview was just around the corner. While he worked 'diligently' he thought there was no need for Carol to know about the kiss. She and Mia didn't know each other. He would just apologize to Mia … though it was she who kissed him, and ask they remained as friends. He would go on with his relation with Carol, and 'maybe' when he was sure she wouldn't punch him, he would tell her and apologize.

"Did you not sleep?" Jay asked him when he entered his room.

He pulled his curtain open and saw the sun was rising. He looked at his work table and saw the completed prototype for the teletransporter. When did he finish?

"You okay kid?" Jay asked placing a hand on his shoulder.

Was he? He finished the prototype in one night using his super speed, everything hurt. He was exhausted and he was still thinking about Carol and Mia.

"I did something very stupid," he said to Jay sitting back on his desk chair.

"I wouldn't call stupid skipping one night of sleep, just irresponsible," Jay said sitting on the boy's bed.

"Not that, I kissed a girl," he said running his hands down his face.

"Kissing girls isn't stupid," Jay couldn't help laughing.

"What? No! I have a girlfriend and I kissed a girl that isn't her," Bart said feeling his face start to heat up.

"Are you using kissing as a euphemism?" Jay asked crossing his arms, a frown on his face.

"No, it was a kiss and we hugged but didn't go beyond that," he was sure his face was red now.

"I see," Jay said slightly calmer.

"I know what I should do, but I don't want to," he said tilting his head back. That was why he immersed himself in his work; to try to forget. But even then he never stopped thinking about it.

"I never thought I would have this talk with you," Jay said with a sigh.

"We just kissed!" he couldn't have the _talk_ again.

"Not that talk," Jay said with a crooked smile, "about growing up, about behaving like an adult. Even with your little act, Joan and I always knew you were more mature than you let on."

"Oh," he said feeling a wave of shame wash over him.

"There are many things we don't like doing, but we have to. As you grow up you will notice this becomes the norm to all adults. We work, pay fees, maintain relations with others, and so on. We are guided by our feelings and our thoughts. Right now, you are only listening to your feelings and how it will make you feel if that young lady learns the truth. You are not thinking of her feelings. What if she learns about this from someone else? How do you think this will make her feel knowing you lied for who knows how long? You have to leave behind your impulsiveness Bart, and start thinking more about your actions. You shouldn't have kissed the other girl while in a relationship," Jay said to him in a calm tone.

"I know, I know! I am just afraid Carol is going to hate me!" after she defended him in front of her brother and believed him when he said he wasn't Kid Flash.

"If she doesn't forgive you, that's the end of that. Life goes on," Jay said to him still calm, "but what if she forgives you?"

"She will never trust me again," and they could try to be friends, but he had seen how that turned out for Miss Martian and Superboy.

"Then give her a reason to trust you. If she forgives you; you have to make it up to her somehow, and when the times is right, talk about the next phase in your relationship," but Jay wasn't going into detail what that next phase meant. He was old fashioned, but old fashion didn't always mean obsolete.

And all Jay said made sense, but he still didn't want to do it. There was no chance the two of them would meet. They walked two completely different paths in life. Carol didn't know of his other identity and Mia only knew his first name.

"It's your choice kiddo," Jay said getting up from the bed, "just don't take too long or you might find the world making the decision for you."

He got ready for school as usual and left to get there early. It was a warm Friday morning, but he couldn't wait for nightfall. He would leave for Metropolis and for a while forget about his problems. As he entered the school he decided he would do the right thing. He was sure Carol was going to hate him. But, at least, he wouldn't be lying to her anymore. She deserved that much.

"-ike him. You are pretty enough if you just took those glasses off," he stopped right around the corner when he heard Kevin Nash.

"Get away from me," and that was Carol.

"C'mon sweetie, I will be kind," Kevin said before his laugh was muffled as if his mouth was against something.

"Let go of me Nash," Carol whimpered.

"Or what? Will you tell your little boyfriend? If he even tries to touch me my parents will make sure he gets expelled," Kevin said and he closed his eyes. He feared what he was going to see. He didn't want to see it.

"No," and he heard Carol whimper before he slammed his fist on one of the lockers, "Kid Flash?"

"Let go of her," maybe as Bart he couldn't go against Kevin, but Kid Flash was a different story. He used one of the oldest speedster tricks and disguised his voice through the vibration of his vocal cords.

"Mind your own business!" Kevin shouted, but his eyes were full of fear. That moment of shock was all he needed to get past him, pick Carol up and take her somewhere safe; that being the roof of their school.

"Are you okay? Did he hurt you?" he asked putting her down.

"No," she said not looking at him. Her clothes and hair were ruffled. He chose to ignore the darkening marks on her neck. It wasn't her fault.

"Your wrist," he saw her trying to hide them. He didn't care if he got to move from school; he was going to make Nash pay for that. He reached for her wrist to see how extensive the damage was.

"Don't touch me," she said stepping back.

"I am sorry," he said remembering what the League taught them about abuse victims. If you weren't entirely sure of the extent of the damage, get them to medical help. You can try to offer emotional comfort but keep physical contact to a minimum. "Do you need a doctor?"

She didn't answer at first. Tears just started to slip by one by one. He wasn't sure what to do. Was she really hurt? He was ready to pick her up again even if she protested and take her to a doctor. But then her words froze him. "You will never see me the same way. Bart, I am just a burden to you, aren't I? That's why you didn't want to let me into your secret. Every person you let in, it's someone that can make you-"

"I am not-" he tried to stop her.

"What are the chances of Kid Flash appearing when I need him the most if he wasn't already looking for me?" she said with a crooked smile that made his insides clench.

"Carol, I-" he stopped disguising his voice and reached for her, but she just pulled back again.

"When I met your uncle and your family, I knew it was you, but you were protecting your family. That's why I choose not to go any further, why I didn't say anything about not meeting in the weekend. I knew you were going to be doing something very important, like saving people and you know-" she shrugged still crying, "I just wanted to be with you for as long as possible. I am nothing special next to you."

"You are the most special person I have ever met," he embraced her so fast she didn't get a chance to try to stop him. "And you are not a burden."

"But just now-" she stopped as looked at him with wide eyes as he kissed her.

"Don't pull back," he whispered to her before kissing her cheek and then the place where Nash left those marks on her neck.

"Ba-Bart?" he heard her whimper as her body relaxed against his. He embraced her harder against his chest and leaned his forehead on her shoulder.

"I really like you," he said hiding on her shoulder. He couldn't tell her about Mia. She needed to know right now that he wanted her by his side too. Telling her the truth at that moment would push her away from him. The truth was that he was selfish, but he chose to be selfish not just for him, but her too.

"I like you too," she said hugging him back.

They let each other go and sat on the roof in a comfortable silence. There was a lot they didn't know how to handle, but neither one wished to talk about it at the time. They missed their first class, but it was just as fine. Neither one wanted to see Kevin Nash who would just ruin this peace.

"There are some things I am not ready to tell you," he told her finally getting up. Part of him didn't want to tell her, but she didn't have an idea of who he really was, what he had done, and where he came from.

"Me too," she told him before he looked at her in shock. "You are not the only one with secrets."

"Are you secretly a super-villain?" he asked her before he was back in his civilian clothing.

"Yes, you dork, I am actually the Quantum Queen who seeks to bend time and space," she laughed as she pulled his hand to hold, "a forbidden relationship between good and evil."

"I wouldn't be the first one of us to fall for a bad girl," he told her.

"Really?" she asked before he shrugged, "you jerk!"

They laughed together until their next class. He didn't care people were staring at them. He didn't care of the way Kevin Nash stared at them trying to catch Carol's eyes. There would be a time when he would get back to him for what he did and tried to do to Carol. After school, she didn't question why he couldn't hang out with her after school or the following days.

"You okay Kid?" Flash asked him as they crossed paths as they patrolled.

"Fine," he hadn't thought about telling his family until then, "Carol knows."

"What?" Flash stopped in the middle of the street where they got everyone to stare at them. "Let's go somewhere else."

They made it to the top of a building where he explained to his grandfather of how Carol already knew and he ended up learning about this after Kevin Nash tried to hurt her.

"That boy," Barry said with a frown.

"But aren't you angry?" he looked more worried than anything, not that he could blame him.

"I am, but there is nothing we can do but make sure she-" Flash started to say.

"She won't," he interrupted.

8888 _**Follows the events of The Flight of the Blue Beetle 27: Interview Time II**_ 8888

When he got to the Coachella Valley one of the fights was already in one of the small towns. He saw crowds running or driving away from their homes in fear as Solstice and Static fought above them shooting rays of energy and electricity. Static pulled everything he could with his powers and threw them at Solstice who destroyed them with her energy rays before shooting at Static with deadly force. With already two years of practice under his belt, Static evaded them at the same time as he closed on her before landing a hit on her onyx skin. She screamed before she started to fall. He rushed to catch her, but she regained consciousness in midflight and shot Static. The two of them were falling now. He placed mattresses under both of them before rushing to Solstice.

"Are you okay?" he asked her as she sat up dazed and then looked at him. There was no sign of recognition in her white tainted eyes. "You aren't all there, are you?"

He had to duck the next moment because now she was shooting him and Static decided to join her.

"Not crash!" he shouted at them as they chased him outside of the town and back into the main battlefield. One moment they were chasing him, the next they were back to fighting each other. "What a heck?"

They were definitely being controlled by someone. Everyone seemed to be engaged in a fight of their own. He saw Bunker using his powers to create two massive fists of light and trying to hit Nightwing who evaded them almost too easily just to jump over them and land a hit on Bunker. The young man took the opportunity to capture Nightwing's foot and slam him into the ground before trying to use one of his giant fists to try to squish him. Nightwing escaped and continued to attack by throwing smoke bombs around Bunker.

He spotted Lagoon Boy charging like a bull towards Red Star who was doing the exact same. They both crashed fists into each other's faces before being thrown back feet apart. Red Star lighted his fists as Lagoon Boy pulled water from a nearby pond and around his fists before they met again with brutal force plus a screen of steam. He got to the ground just in time before Red Star almost crashed against him. Lagoon Boy pursued his, his body puffed with muscles that could tear metal beams in two.

At the same pond, he saw Tempest and Aqualad fight with the ferocity of seasoned warriors. They fought with sword, axes, chains and everything that their abilities could conjure. At the top of this, helicopters from Galaxy Communications were circling them and recording the whole ordeal. As long as they didn't get too close he wouldn't bother with them but it was still nerve wrecking.

"Is there anyone here that isn't being mind-controlled!" he shouted just as he evaded a zap from Bumble Bee meant for Skitter who then shot a web at her. No one answered and he realized he would be on his own in this one until the rest got there, hopefully.

He started with the new guys and less likely to pound him ten feet into the ground. He took hold of Empress, one of the new members of the Team and left her some miles away from the rest. He then took hold of Thorax who had been fighting her and left him in the opposite direction. Somehow he was able to pull a transformed Skitter to another direction, and thankfully Bumble Bee wasn't too difficult because of her size. He followed to do the same with Lantern, and Black Bat who give him a black eye. However the moment he got back Empress and Thorax were fighting again.

"Knocking them out is more productive," he turned around and saw Red Star and Lagoon Boy unconscious on the ground with Robin standing to the side measuring his next opponent.

"They are my friends," he told the pint sized Robin.

"Who will end up hurting each other more if you think distance will keep them away from each other," the kid said before he jumped and latched to Black Bat's back.

He hated to admit it, but the brat was right.

"Gha!" Robin cried out when Black Bat slammed him to the ground. He pulled the kid out from under the raven haired bat and to the side.

"We can't do it alone, I mean those two alone…" he said looking up at where Wonder Girl and Supergirl were still fighting.

"The League is all occupied, no one can aid us. Deal with it," Damian said starting to walk back to the fight.

"Who said anything about the League?" he said placing a hand on the kid's shoulder before pulling back when Damian glared at him.

"What the-" Damian narrowed his eyes on him.

"Just try to distract them for like two minutes," he told the kid before he left.

888

In El Paso, Tye and Asami were already gearing up. He secured his headband before pulling his orange hoodie over his head. He wished for one of those black masks, but black paint would have to do for the meantime. It wasn't that he was looking join full time, looking after El Paso was hard enough, but the fight was still being broadcasted. Besides his old orange hoodie, he wore a pair of black jeans and a pair of red sneakers. Asami also went for the clothes similar to those she wore when they first met. She tied her old green bandana but let her hair loose. She wore black leggings under a pair of green shorts. A black long sleeved shirt, and at the top of it, her old yellow and green vest. She wore a pair of green sneakers which made him feel a little less out of place. Like him, she didn't have a mask so she too used black paint.

"Here," she handed him a matching pair of black leather fingerless gloves.

"Tye, are you sure about this?" his mother asked as they walked into the living room.

"They better be, we have to go," Kid Flash said appearing at the door.

"We will be back," he told his mother before Asami disappeared first.

"Make us proud," his grandfather said from where he had been watching silently until then.

Before he could reply he was in the battlefield. Asami was already going against Empress.

"Who are these-" the latest Robin was looking at him suspiciously. He made sure to stay far from the brat. Paco and Jaime told him to not overestimate the kid, ever.

"Introductionsright,right. RobinthisisTyeTyethisisRobin. Now go!" Kid Flash said before he was gone again.

He closed his eyes and concentrated. He hadn't gone full size in a long time. Usually, a giant fist did it for the small time criminals of El Paso. The familiar feeling of being everywhere and nowhere at the same time returned. When he opened his eyes, they were not his own but that of his construct. He caught the attention of the two Atlanteans who started then shooting jets of water at him. He was fast to close the space between them before trying to capture them.

8888

"Red Robin to Kid Flash, do you copy?" his communicator came to life in what felt had been an eternity.

"Red, so good to hear your voice; we need a little help here," he said as Asami fought Empress and Bumble Bee at the same time.

"It might be a while before I can make it there. It's a type of virus similar to that of the Starro-tech. Blue is already working in the cure," Red Robin told him.

"And Superboy?" he hoped their friend was back to normal.

"He is helping us his own way, but we can't risk him getting close to them. They might have more of that red stone," of course, Red Robin would think of that.

"I pulled Tye and Asami, and Robin is here too, but we need more people," more of those being controlled were concentrating on them.

"Cisco is in Metropolis, Black Lightning's daughter Anissa in Brooklyn, Tracy Thirteen is at the Reyes' place, Zatanna's cousin Zachary-"

"I get it, you somehow foresaw this. Send me the list, I will get started," he decided to go for the nearest of the lot.

8888

Zachary Zatara didn't see the point on doing the show anymore. Just about everyone left the moment it was known the Titans and other young heroes got into a fight. His own cousin Zatanna was away fighting some demon with the Justice League Dark. But here he was giving a show on his own for the first time and most of the people were just looking at their phones. If this was the road to Las Vegas then it sucked. He was ready to throw his hat down when a strong current almost knocked him off his feet.

"Zachary Zatara?" suddenly a masked face was in front of him.

"Y-yes, who asks?" he said crawling back.

"Kid Flash, and the I need your help," the kid pulled him to his feet in one swift movement.

"Me?" he asked before he saw those who remained in the audience were now recording him.

"You are a Zatara, right? Your powers are real, not illusions," Kid Flash asked him starting to look worried.

"Yes," he said in his most reassuring tone.

"Then let's get going, there's a Kryptonian I would like you to meet," the kid took his hand before he could tell him he could only affect inanimate objects, not living beings like Kryptonians. He landed in the middle of the desert, his stomach doing flips before he saw the great battle in front of him. "Will be back!" and Kid Flash was gone again.

"He might as well be bringing toddlers," he heard someone say before he looked down and saw a kid dressed as a Robin. "What are you waiting for?!"

8888

As he raced towards Texas to get Tracy he spotted two familiar faces. He slowed down to be at the same pace as the twin speedster David and Daniel. The twins were among those they helped get away from La Dama.

"Fight is that way, don't let them touch you," he told the two kids who gave him thumbs up before they raced to the fight.

He stopped in the backyard of the Reyes and took a deep breath. He knew Tracy would have a lot of questions about how they knew where she was and it was very likely Jaime would pay for it, but they needed all the help they could get.

"But I want to help!" the back door opened and he saw Tracy trying to remove Milagro; Jaime's little sister, off her leg.

"You are too young!" Tracy said trying to get the ten-year-old off her leg.

"But there is a kid who looks-" Milagro started to say.

"Heeey there," he said waving awkwardly.

"Kid Flash?" Tracy said shocked.

"Soooo, we need a hand, a magical one, but not too young," he said lastly when he saw Milagro's eyes lit up.

"I-" the young woman looked down at Milagro.

"Please, Blue Beetle spoke very highly of you," which wasn't a total lie.

"I was on my way," she admitted trying to take a step forwards, but Milagro still wouldn't let go of her.

"Great!" he said rushing to her, but she stopped him.

"I can make it there on my own. Milagro?" she said to the child before she detached herself.

"Please be careful," Milagro said as Tracy opened a portal.

"See you for dinner kiddo," Tracy said before she jumped in and then closed the portal behind her.

"How is my brother?" Milagro said standing up.

"He is working on a cure, but he is fine," he said before he spotted Jaime's parents inside. They looked worried, but he didn't think it was because of Jaime. He could take care of himself, but their little girl wanted to walk the same path as her brother and she was only ten.

"I really want to help," Milagro told him.

"Maybe someday, but right now your brother would be too worried looking over you to be any good," he said in a harsher tone than he meant to. The little girl looked down and close to tears, "I am sorry." But he got silent thanks from the parents before he left.

He headed to Arizona where Mikey, one of the teens they saved from La Dama, lived. He was surprised to see him waiting for him outside of his foster home wearing a scarf over his nose and mouth and holding a thick metal pipe.

"You are getting Cisco too, right?" Mikey asked him nervously.

"You bet," he said taking the teens hand and leading him to the battlefield. The moment Mikey landed the pipe dropped from his hands. "You need to up your game," he told the teen knowing he feared his abilities. In his own words, he could turn anything into melting wax.

"This was a mistake," Mikey said about to ask him to take him back.

"You made it!" David said as he and his brother Daniel briefly joined them.

"You kids are here?" Mikey asked wide eyed. The two of them had gone back to their town in Guatemala. He didn't think he would see them.

"Let's go, Mikey!" David said taking his hand, "like old times but better!"

"Okay," Mikey said in a daze before looking at him. He gave the other teen a nod before Mikey picked up his pipe before it got wrapped in flames. He went with the twins fearing more for their wellbeing than his own.

"Kid Flash," his communicated activated again.

"Red, what's up?" he asked as he dodged a blast from Thorax before he got tackled by a boulder, courtesy of Zachary Zatara.

"Blue Beetle is almost there with the cure. Red Arrow is looking after the Watchtower now and will be bringing in the rest of the reinforcements," Red Robin said to him in a breathless tone.

"But the nearest Zeta Beam is in Los Angeles," and that was still far.

"We will make do," Red Robin said before the communication went off.

Make do, that's all they were doing now. He took a deep breath and went after Black Bat who was a breath away from impaling Robin with his own sword.

"I didn't ask for your help," Robin said getting up and pulling his sword from him. He charged against Nightwing who used his arm guards to block Damian's sword before landing a swift kick on his chest. The kid didn't even pause and launched again.

"You are welcome," he said before he went to land a hit on Lagoon Boy who was starting to wake up again.

"We are getting creamed," Tracy Thirteen said appearing next to him, "where are the Blue Beetle and the rest?"

"In their way- wait, you can transport, right?" never before had he been so thankful for magic.

"Yeah," she said with a frown.

"There are a lot of guys coming, but they are being beamed to Los Angeles," he told her.

"Beamed?" she asked, her frown only growing.

"Long story, can you get them here?" he asked her trying not to jump in place.

"How many are we talking about?" she asked looking more concerned by the second.

"A few?" he wasn't even sure.

"Alright, no biggie," she said taking a deep breath, "where are they?"

"C'mon," and he took her to where the Zeta Beam was in Los Angeles. A moment later the beam opened and started spilling out young Metas and other masked crusaders.

"Kid Flash?" Red Robin was at the front of the group.

"Tracy can take all of us there," he told their leader.

"Just don't jump all at the same time," Tracy said counting all of the present and flinching with every one of them.

Most of the guys Red Robin brought were future candidates for the Titans. They had talked about them at some point or another.

"This is awesome!" a young man known as Kid Devil shouted. Like his name said, he looked like a red-skinned devil with horns, tails, and long white hair. The kid was Blue Devil's apprentice. He shouted against as he jumped through the portal head on, horns and all.

"How does my hair look?" Stargirl asked before she got a few looks. She offered a nervous smile before flying through. She was not one of their candidates but didn't see the harm on it. She was working with another team but seemed happy to be there.

"This can't be happening; my uncle is going to kill me" a young woman coating completely is some kind of metal casing said as she held a large metal hammer. Had he not heard her worried voice he would have thought she was a robot.

"You will do fine Starlight," Red Robin said before the young woman jumped through.

"They are all kids," a young woman who looked almost exactly like Captain Atom said. Unlike Captain Atom she wore clothes over her silvery skin; jeans, boots, and a black tank top with the red atom insignia on her chest. He could tell from the way she stood crossing her arms and frowning that she was there grudgingly.

"And that's why they need you Bombshell," Red Robin said before the young woman looked at him with calculating eyes. It was hard to tell how old she was because of her skin, but she had to be young.

"I will help you only this time," Bombshell said before jumping through, her hands charged with energy.

"Could you guys pick it up?!" Tracy said clenching her teeth.

"Sorry!" a blonde girl dressed in purple and black said jumping through. She gave Red Robin a glance as she did. He didn't recognize her from any file.

"Here we go," he saw Cisco jump too. He followed by who he guessed was Black Lighting's daughter because she was releasing static all over the place.

"Blue confirmed he just made it and Superboy too" Red Robin said before jumping through.

"Finally," Tracy said before he ran through and she followed behind him.

He was actually worried Superboy was there. They still weren't sure if there was more of that red rock around.

"There!" Blue's shout was the first thing he heard before he saw the speedster twins remove a rock and pull out a bit of red rock. The kids handed the red rock and many others to Red Robin who put it in a lead box. "We are clear!"

"About time!" Superboy shouted from above being tackled by Supergirl and Wonder Girl.

"Lucky bastard," he heard someone say.

"A little help!" the girl in purple and black shouted as she clung to Lagoon Boy's back for dear life and he tried to buckle her off.

Red Robin took a deep breath and went on her aid. He guessed she had no powers.

"Sorry princess," he saw Bombshell absorb one of Kiran's shots before returning it to her. Kiran fell but was caught by Tye.

"Blue! Where is the cure!" he rushed to his friend who was scanning for those infected.

"Here," he handed him a few patches, "we still don't know how effective they are."

They had to know now. He rushed to Tye who was fending off the Lantern and Red Star as they tried to get to Kiran. Asami blew Red Star back by creating an immense tornado. This gave him the chance to slip by and get to Solstice.

"Is she okay?" he asked Tye who laid her on the ground.

"Her breathing is normal, I think," Tye said before he kneeled before her and placed the patch on the back of her neck. Her powers immediately faded and she seemed more relaxed than before.

"I think it works," he said to Tye who then looked up and caught Static from the air and brought him down before he put a patch on him too.

"Two down, a whole lot more to go," Tye said before the twins joined him to look after those who were already cured.

He looked up and saw Superboy had his hands full with Supergirl and Wonder Girl but was joined by Starlight who was able to pull Wonder Girl back before making her crash into the ground with one swing of her hammer. He rushed to where Cassie crashed before placing a patch on her neck. She was unconscious the next moment. He took her to where the other cured where. By then Black Bat and Red Star were there too. They were followed by Bunker and Lantern, then Nightwing and Tempest. After what felt like an eternity the members of the Team and the Titans affected were all unconscious and hopefully cured.

"You guys better put one on too," Blue said handing more of the patches "Try to think of them as a vaccine against mind-controlling alien parasites."

"Where have you been all my life," Kid Devil said putting it on without question.

Others like Bombshell and Zachary put them away.

"So, did any of you thought about stopping the broadcast?" Anissa, the daughter of Black Lighting asked as they watched the choppers fly away from the scene.

"If we did, it would just make people mistrust us more," Red Robin told, "and we had our own reporter to tell our side of the story too."

"Why did you pick Lori Luthor? She was the one-" Kid Devil started to ask.

"She didn't," Superboy said at once, "it was the Light. Ms. Luthor thought it was simply a gift. The basket in which it was delivered came from a unique shop. Miss Martian is investigating which member of The Light contributed in the attack."

"The Light?" some of the new guys asked. Of course, they wouldn't know who the Light was.

"Think League but evil," Superboy said before most of them understood.

"Not that I mind this bonding and stuff, but I have to get home," Cisco said sporting a few bruises.

"Don't look at me, I am out," Tracy said getting some help from Stargirl to stay up.

"I can help with that," Blue said before they spotted a ship shaped like a blue beetle.

"I wonder who that belongs to," Tye said to his old friend who just shrugged

"What the heck is that?" Zachary Zatara said as they spotted another ship approaching.

"That would be Miss Martian," Red Robin told them before her ship landed next to Blue's. The Bioship released sphere which rushed to Superboy.

"I missed you too," Superboy said before the Sphere transformed into the Supercycle "anyone going to the East coast get on."

Between Miss Martian and Superboy they loaded the affected into the ship. Blue addresses the two women managing the Bug and asked to give a few others a ride.

"This is not cab service kid," a blond woman wearing a lab coat told him.

"I know, I know, but they are all exhausted and-"

"Don't worry Blue, we will take them to wherever they need to go," another woman wearing a business suit and pink tainted glasses said in a kinder tone.

"Shout I go with them?" the girl in black and purple asked Red Robin.

"Go with Robin, the Bat-plane is not far," Red said before a few eyes turned to look at Robin.

"You took the Batplane?" Miss Martian was the one to ask.

"That's none of your business," Robin said before he started walking away. The girl in purple and black followed him.

"_Tengan cuidado_," (Be careful) he saw Blue tell the speeder twins.

"_No te preocupes_,"(Don't Worry) Daniel said.

"We made it here, didn't we?" David said before they raced away.

At the end, it was only the four of them again.

"Well, this was a complete failure," Blue said collapsing back, "now they won't ever trust us."

"I wouldn't be so sure," Superboy said, "Lori exposed what really happened and questioned the involvement of Galaxy Entertainment in the whole matter. How else did they get word of what was happening so fast?"

"You think Morgan Edge is allied with the Light?" he asked. He knew the guy was a jerk but not a bad guy.

"He is close friends with Luthor, I wouldn't be surprised," Superboy said as he started to take into the air.

"We can't go yet," he told them, "there is a small town that way that got roughed up a bit but Solstice and Static."

"Damage control never ends, does it?" Red Robin said before they went in that direction. They found the town deserted and roughed up. There was debris all around.

"We don't have all that is needed to fix it," Blue said looking at a car that was completely smashed and the shape of a body dented on the top.

"We will do what we can, for now," Superboy said before they started picking up the mess and fixing what they could.

"Do you still want to do this?" Red Robin asked them as they left the place a little better than when they got there.

"Dude, we are already waist deep, there is no going back," Blue said opening his wings.

"Even if there was a way back I don't want it," he said to their team, "if the Light came after us, that must mean they really don't want us doing this. This can only mean one thing."

"We are doing it right," Superboy said before yawning. It was the first time he had ever seen Superboy tired after a mission.

"Just checking," Red Robin said with a confident smile.

They made it to the Zeta Beam in Los Angeles and got transported into the Watchtower. Most of the League, including his grandfather, was already there and looking over what Miss Martian had gathered on the plot by the Light. It was a lab owned by Lex Luthor that created the red rock which they dubbed Red Kryptonite as it was an artificial replica of the original but with other properties. The now called Unity-tech was created in cooperation by the Brain and Klarion. Vandal Savage, Ra's al Ghul among others started the crisis to keep the League busy and from helping the youngsters. It seemed the Light now intended to discredit them as much as possible, but there was another phase to their plan they hadn't figured out yet. They shared more of the new Cure-Tech to be safe.

"This is something that affect us all," Aquaman said, "are you sure you want to work separately from us?"

"We are," Red Robin said, "if we step back, we will lose any credibility we were able to salvage.

"But who is to say they don't have something worse planned?" Wonder Woman said crossing her arms.

"Then we will handle it," Superboy said, "we did it today, and we will do it whenever needed."

"He is right Diana," Flash said, "they handled things on their own and it's not the first time."

Wonder Woman looked like she wanted to keep protesting, but she let it go for the meantime. They left the League to go check on the rest in the infirmary. Red Tornado was monitoring all of their vitals.

"Greetings Titans. Your companions are recuperating. No permanent damage was caused," Red Tornado said meeting them at the entrance, "however, rest is required. You may return in a few hours."

They only got a small glance of their friends, but they seemed to be just sleeping.

"I have to get to get back to Metropolis. The Media war is not over yet," Superboy said with a sigh.

"And I have to get to San Francisco. Major Jackson wants to talk," Red Robin said unable to hide his frown.

"We will stay and wait for the others to wake up," Blue said before they went their separate ways. He and his friend took over one of the private rooms in the Watchtower.

"I could sleep for a week," Blue said collapsing on one of the comfortable chairs and shedding his armor off.

"You can't, we need to talk to the League about the Teletransportation system. I finished the prototype," and they were all working towards a common goal at the time.

"But why the League? Can't we just-" Jaime sat up and started to question.

"It would be beneficial for all of us, besides satellites are not cheap" and he had no idea if their funds could cover one.

"You want to talk to them now?" Jaime asked running a hand down his tired face.

"The sooner the better. We could have saved a lot of time today if it was already in place," and his back was killing him from carrying people.

"True that," Jaime said before he frowned, "There might be something going with Star Labs. They wouldn't help us."

"What better time to talk to them about it," he said standing up.

"Just give me thirty minutes," Jaime said closing his eyes.

Thirty minutes was a long time for a speedster. He decided to take things into his own hands. He went to his grandfather first and explained to him what he had been working on. He even went home to retrieve it and show it to him.

"And you made this?" Flash asked as they ran a test in one of the labs. There were two small platforms placed in opposite sides of the room and a transmitter that connected the two of them. They tested it with a piece of fruit which made it from one side of the room to other without harm, "have you ever seen The Fly?"

"It's only a prototype, but I know it can work. The League, The Team, and the Titans can all make use of it to get to places faster," and yes, he had seen the fly but this was real life.

"I don't doubt it could be a lot of help, but-" it still seemed very iffy.

"C'mon gramps, none of our teams are short in scientists. We can work together on the kinks and be sure there is no Man-Fly," and he couldn't help himself from laughing a little.

"You know I will have to talk to the rest of the League about it," Flash said smiling a little.

"Then do," he said collecting the pieces of the prototype and handing them to him "also, something very strange happened with Star Labs. They wouldn't help Blue when he was trying to make a cure."

"Oh, that," Flash stopped smiling, "Bart, the agreement is between the League and Star Labs. Not with the Titans."

"You are not serious. They helped us make the time machine and they didn't say anything back then," and they kept all the spare material and information they gathered from the whole thing. It didn't seem fair.

"That's the very same reason why they don't want to be involved with you anymore. No one has been able to explain what really happened and if the military got hold of what you did they will try to replicate it. Dr. Hamilton was smart to tell his staff to hide most of the proof and claim it was something else, but the military doesn't believe it. That's why they are putting distance between you," Flash explained to him, reminding him once against of the consequences of his actions.

"A warning would have been nice," he said with a sigh.

"Blue was able to get the help he needed from Kord Enterprises. I think that's your best bet to get help now. He owing the place and all," Flash as they left the lab.

"What?" he asked looking at his grandpa waiting for him to say it was a joke.

"Wait, he didn't tell you?" Flash asked stopping on his tracks.

"He owns Kord Enterprises, I would remember that," he said with a frown.

"Oh, sorry Kid," Flash said sincerely sorry.

"He lives in the same crappy apartment and works in a garage. I guess he didn't want anyone to find out" and that seemed very Blue like. Knowing him, he didn't want to touch a cent for himself.

"Talk to him to come forwards with Red Robin and Superboy. There is no need for misunderstandings," Flash told him before leaving for the meeting the League was going to be holding.

When he got back to the private room where Jaime was still sleeping he had the urge to shake him awake and ask him why he didn't trust him. Instead, he sat down across from him and waited for him to wake up. During this time, he updated Red Robin in their current standing with Star Labs and also to find out what Major Jackson wanted. It seemed a good part of the city's council wanted them out while the rest resisted. They had to do something and soon to be able to stay. Red Robin already had a plan, but they would need the help of everyone in their team, plus some.

"Turn on the TV," Red Robin told him.

He turned the TV and found Godfrey was still in the air and still trying to pin the fault in either the Titans or the League. His feed would go on and off to show Lori throwing back just as hard as she presented the facts to the public and called on Godfrey for not alerting anyone this was going on instead of making it news.

"Galaxy's helicopters were already in the site before the League and the Titans knew what was going on. Didn't it occur to you to tell at least the authorities about it? Where is the journalistic integrity you claim to have? Putting the lives of others at risk for a story can only be called abominable," she was definitely a Luthor and thankfully in their side. "We got information that those young heroes were infected with a virus and someone was controlling them. What we saw not long ago was the Titans and their allies free them from that control. The League was busy because of multiple attacks around the well, all of them coordinated so they couldn't help each other. It all seems too well arranged for someone to cover and tarnish their names. Same thing with Superboy in the studio some hours ago, everyone who saw it knows the rock was affecting him. We even saw how the Blue Beetle was collecting more of those rocks in the site before Superboy could step in to help. Whoever left me that ring did it with the intention of damaging his credibility."

"But it isn't enough," Red Robin told him, "Galaxy is already trying to cover the damaged town. Oracle is keeping it from getting to the screens, but she can't do it forever."

"Couldn't they have done it when we were there trying to clean it up," Jaime said from his chair as he was waking up, "we need to get there and-"

"We will do it tomorrow as long as the rest of the Titans are feeling better," Red Robin said, "rest for now. We have a long day awaiting us."

"Blue?" he asked his friend who was trying not to doze off and keep watching the news battle.

"Yeah?" Jaime asked trying not to close his eyes.

"Why didn't you tell me about Kord Enterprises?" he asked before Jaime's eyes snapped open.

"Because- I don't know. I guess it's kind of embarrassing. I didn't do anything to-" he sat up and started fretting.

"You are the Blue Beetle, Kord was the Blue Beetle. He wanted you to have everything you would need to give the good fight," he told his friend.

"He knew he was going to die, Bart," Jaime said after taking a deep breath. "Booster told him about me and who we would become. He left me a video. He wants us to use his company to help fund the Titans. I told Red Robin because he knows more about that kind of stuff than me, but I didn't know how to tell you and Superboy."

"I see," he said before offering a smile, "so no pool?"

At some point, he fell asleep too. It was sometime in the early morning that Jaime shook him awake.

"Some of the guys are waking up," Jaime said before he dragged his feet to the infirmary where Martian Manhunter and Miss Martian were checking those awake to make sure the influence of the Unity-tech was completely gone. They also explained to each one of them what had happened to them and why they had no memories of the recent events.

"I feel like I got run over by a truck," Paco said rubbing his arm.

"It was a boulder," Jaime said with a short laugh before Paco groaned and collapsed back on his bed "and some hits from Superboy."

"I am suing," Paco said pointing at the ceiling.

"Get in line," Celine said just as Miss Martian finished scanning her mind, "I didn't sign up for fights."

"Nor I for mind control parasites, again," Supergirl who had once already been controlled by The Unity parasite said.

"Guys, if you want to quit now, go right ahead but those who believe in what we are doing we need you up and running as soon as possible. There was a town damaged in the fight and we all need to help," Jaime explained.

"Wow, who said anything about quitting?!" Kyle said flinching as he sat up too fast, "did I also get hit by a boulder?"

"Close enough," he said remembering Tye had slammed the Lantern into the ground creating a crater.

"I am not going," Celine said unable to meet everyone's eyes. She couldn't control her powers nor had a disguise to hide who she really was. Neither he nor Blue tried to talk her out of it. It was true she didn't sign up for fights. She only wanted to learn how to control her powers. They were just lucky she didn't quit right there and then.

"We are going too," Kaldur said from his bed, "we were just as responsible."

Between the Titans and the Team they gathered at the town with all the material they would need. There were countless news crews covering what was happening. None of them talked to the news crews as they worked on fixing walls, streets and some of the smashed cars.

"I don't care how good you are, you can't fix this," Thorax told Blue.

"Then maybe I can give a hand," they saw Zachary Zatara step out of a car. He walked straight to the car and said "ekil wen!" and they watched as the car returned to an even better state than it used to be.

"Where were you two hours ago?" Static said as he brought another damaged car.

At the end, they had leftover materials and they molded it into a playground and picnic tables in a small park.

"We want to apologize for any distress we might have caused," he turned and saw Red Robin talking to the news crews. Red Robin didn't make any excuses or even mention to parasites that had been controlling some of them. He simply apologized and assured the public that as time went by they would become better and better to the point where there would no question of their intentions or skills.

"What's next on the list," Superboy asked as they headed for San Francisco.

"We have to finish the tower as soon as possible," Red Robin said as he flew the Bug along with every one of the Team and Titans who couldn't fly.

"I am staying," Beast Boy said as they were ready to drop them off, "I want to help them."

"Me too," Bumble Bee said before Black Bat looked at Nightwing.

"We are staying too," Nightwing said before those present from the Team decided to continue helping them.

It was late afternoon that Superboy flew in bringing Celine with him and a machine he couldn't make heads or tails of. It turned to be a battery that was charged with their different abilities like Solstice's rays, and Red Star's bursts. Besides this, she helped them design an underwater mill that would not harm the environment to which Tempest was grateful.

Some of the guys who were not in good terms like Lagoon Boy and Supergirl stayed out of each other's way. They kept stopping crime when needed in the city, but without a doubt, they would be finishing sooner than anyone would ever expect. It took them a week to complete the tower. Red Robin had picked one of Kyle's designs where the tower was surrounded by a generous green forest and with a small beach on the back where they could relax. The tower seemed to be made of crystal but was actually translucent titanium courtesy of Kord Industries, one of their first official sponsors. There were a lot of little things to fix but when he collapsed in his assigned bedroom he knew that all they went through was worth it.

"Bart, come!" Solstice said barging in and taking his hand before flying them to their immense living room where a movie theater sized screen was showing a report by Lois Lane.

"-Coachella Valley and their inhabitants along with the assistance of other groups who recognize the effort our heroes make have renamed this park in the memories of those who have fallen protecting us. Now known as 'Heroes Park' this remodeled park contains the statues of all the heroes the League released as lost in action just a few days ago."

"It was not our intention to leave you out but simply to let you remember them for their bravery and not how they died. We didn't wish you to fear that we would be gone someday as inevitable that it is," there was a short of an announcement the League made in regards of the death of some of their members and affiliations, "we realize now that it was selfish. The Titans were inspired by those who are no longer with us and we believe that thanks to these true heroes who laid everything on the line there will be more people inspired to do the greater good."

The image returned to the park which was many times bigger than they had left it. It had greenery, fountains and beautiful sights everywhere you looked. He caught glimpses of statues for Tula, the Blue Beetles, the first known Green Lantern Allan Scott, the original Hawk and Dove, Jason Todd as Robin (which he guessed Red Hood wasn't going to take well), and many others.

"Among the status we have found heroes that were not known to us before and others which we recognize all too well," Lois Lane said standing in front of the statue of the first Kid Flash and next to it was a young woman who seemed very familiar. "With us is now the Queen Perdita of Vlatava, one of the major donors to this project."

"She has grown," Superboy said before most turned to look at him, "the first Kid Flash saved her life. He ran from one side of the country to the other carrying her heart transplant when she was only ten years old."

"That explains a lot," Kyle said as he sketched the seventeen-year-old queen on a notebook.

"The first Kid Flash saved my life many years ago," the young queen went straight to the point "I am happy to know others recognize his good deeds just as me even if he is gone now. I hope this park inspires others like Kid Flash inspired me to do all I can for my country and others. This is a message to our current Kid Flash," she said looking at the camera and somehow directly at him, "just as you are proud to use his name, I am sure he would be proud of you honoring his memory. Keep up the good work."

But Wally wasn't dead; he wanted to say as Lois Lane kept going over all the statues in the park. He had the urge to tell them but stopped. It would be no good because no one could see him but him. They would probably think he was going through a breakdown if he did.

"Excuse me," Artemis who had been helping them said as she left the room. Kaldur went after her and he was ready to do the same before Nightwing placed a hand on his shoulder to stop him.

"Bart, they-" Nightwing started to say.

"It's him, isn't?" he remembered Artemis telling him there was someone new in his life; he just never thought it would be Kaldur.

Wally could see the world from the Speed Force. Of course, he already knew who it was. Maybe it wasn't that Wally couldn't come back, but just didn't want to.


	23. Resentment

_**Resentment**_

"No peeping on girls," Wally told him in between bites "so, been busy?"

"Like you don't know," he said with a short laugh. He tried not to think about that.

He wondered at what moment Wally had seen Artemis and Kaldur together. They sat on one of the many floating islands of the Speed Force and watched the windows in time. After a few visits he realized that if he concentrated on someone, he could see that person. If he thought of a memory, he could see that same moment. Next to him Wally enjoyed the food he brought him, though as far as he knew he didn't get hungry in that place. He simply missed the taste.

"Hey, I don't spend all my time watching you," Wally laughed, but there was an edge to his voice. It wasn't like he liked being trapped there watching everyone else move on with their lives.

He probably saw his family mourn him, saw Artemis move on slowly and slowly closer to Kaldur, saw his friends think less and less of him…

"The Titan Tower is almost finished, Red doubled the patrols around the city, and we almost got the Teletransportation system complete," he said before showing him through the windows. Superboy was sitting at the top watching the city and guarding the tower though their security system was almost entirely operational.

"And you still somehow find time to spend with little Carol," Wally said with a cheeky smirk.

"I thought you weren't watching me," he said as the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end.

"I peek every once in a while. She is a nice girl though you should have spent some more time with her before admitting anything," Wally said, his tone and face as friendly as ever, but his eyes spoke of his disappointment.

"I already got chewed out by gramps and Red," he said standing up. The windows around them shifted into those moments for a fraction of a second.

"And just wait until Conner hears about it," Wally said not commenting on the flickering change.

"I thought you were on my side," he told Wally wanting him to say what he really thought.

"And I am; I am just worried about you. You moved on kind of fast from Kiran to Carol," Wally said trying to calm him down.

"It has nothing to do with Kiran," he said walking away.

"Bart, I didn't-" the fear of being left alone kept Wally from telling him what he really thought. He wanted to tell him off. He would never abandon him in that place, leave him to heal the fissure in the Speed Force on his own, or forget about him.

"I will be back in a few days, just call if you need me earlier than that," he told Wally before he left.

When he got out, he ran faster than the eye could follow. Maybe then Wally wouldn't be able to see how much he hated himself for what he had done. He knew it was stupid, he knew he wasn't thinking before acting, and he just couldn't stop. He stopped at Carol's place.

"Bart, are you okay?" she asked when she opened the door.

"Is your brother home?" he asked stepping in.

"No, he is still-" she started to say with those little soft lips before he was kissing her, "Bart! What are you doing?" she pushed him back, but she wasn't angry at him but worried.

"Being an idiot," he muttered before she took his face between her hands and kissed him, "Carol, I…"

"You are my idiot now, and you are going to tell me what's wrong," she said pulling him to the living room and making him sit.

There were so many things he was hiding from her that could make her hate him. Red Robin's warning rang in his mind repeatedly. They had known each other for a very short time. What if he was right? What if she-

"Bart," her hand tightened around his.

"Everyone tells me I shouldn't have told you," he breathed out, "they think I am putting myself and my family in danger. But- but that's because they don't know you."

"You don't know me that that well," she told him.

"I know I don't, but I-" his fear only grew and it started to shift into something else.

"We don't know each other that well," she said not letting him pull his hand back.

"You agree with them?" he realized he was getting angry at her. Why did she want to go out with him if she also thought it was a bad idea?

"In a way I do, but I also know that I want to know you," she said, her face suddenly very close to his.

"You won't like to know everything," his fear returned tenfold.

"I know, you won't like everything about me too," she said wrapping her arms around his torso and leaning her forehead on his collarbone.

"You are the smartest and prettiest girl I have known," he told her as he ran a hand through her black locks.

"So, you are a flirt, c'mon, how many girls have you kissed?" she laughed against his chest.

"Besides you?" he asked her.

"Yes," she said with a small laugh.

"Two," he said swallowing audibly.

"Look at you, a real heartbreaker," she said lifting her head so she could see his eyes.

"You have only kissed me," he said and he wondered if it was fair.

"You are probably a terrible kisser and I just don't realize it," she said with a soft laugh.

"Then that means the future is bright, right?" he said leaning down and kissing her again, but this time there was no rush. Well, that was until they heard Carol's brother arrive home.

888

Solstice placed a tree in what was going to be their garden before flying to get another one. As soon as the tree was down in the hole, he started shoveling dirt around it. He hadn't been initially believed they needed a garden, but the more they added to it, the more he liked the idea. It was large and dense enough that you could get lost in it.

"With a few lights around, this place can be something else at night," Asami said as she and Tye planted a bush.

"I would like it better without the lights," Tye said with a smirk.

"Like Red doesn't plan to cover the whole place with cameras," Paco said as he and Leonid set a small stone path that would cut through the middle.

"And there goes my dream," said Tye with a sigh.

"Dude, you live with your girlfriend," Paco said before Tye threw a rock at him.

"Shut up, we also live with my mom," Tye said before Asami pulled him behind some of the trees they had just planted.

"Red won't mind if we bring a girl every once in a while, right?" Leonid asked.

"What do you think?" Paco laughed, "we are lucky he let us vote no on the cameras in the bedrooms."

"Wouldn't you need to get a girl before you worry about that?" Tye said behind the trees with Asami.

"Well, I know someone who doesn't need to worry about that, right?" Paco said throwing a rock at him, "lucky brat"

"Who told you?" he couldn't think of any of his close friends going off to tell them.

"No one, you just look happier," Paco said with a smirk, "and you just gave yourself away."

"Wait, so the shrimp has a girlfriend and we don't?" Leonid said before slapping his forehead.

"How does she look like?" Paco said poking him on the rib, "c'mon, spill it."

"Ehm," he took out his cell phone and showed them a picture they took together after they went to watch a movie a few days ago.

Leonid and Paco were silent for a long time before sharing a look. He swore if they said she wasn't pretty he was going to bury them under a tree.

"Does… does she have a sister?" Leonid asked, "An older sister?"

"Only an older brother," he said before Leonid sighed in defeat.

"She is really cute," Paco said though a little more serious, "in a very innocent kind of way."

He looked at the picture again. Carol did have an innocent face, add the glasses, the short dark hair, and tomboyish clothes and she looked almost innocent in a childish way.

"I guess she does," he said with a smile, "she is really smart too. When I told her we should go hunting for Gravitons, she laughed."

"I don't get it," Paco and Leonid said in a deadpan.

"Gravitons are theoretical particles that would explain gravity. There has been no successful way to prove they actually exist," the heard before they looked up and saw Solstice with another tree. He guessed she had been listening because she was no longer smiling like before.

"Oh, would you look at that, we learned something new," Leonid said stepping back.

"I would say, now what about lunch?" Paco said also stepping back.

"That sounds like an excellent idea," Leonid said before the two of them ran away.

"Wait for us!" Asami and Tye shouted jumping out of the bushes and running after them.

He waited until Solstice put the tree down before he started shoveling dirt. She was watching him; he could feel her gaze piercing his back. He told Red he would give her some space, and he had done just that so, he told himself, he had nothing to feel embarrassed of. Just because she rejected him it didn't mean he wasn't going to ask any other girl out. Between the two of them, in almost complete silence, they finished planting the trees.

"Kid Flash, Solstice, I need you to go on patrol with Bunker," Red Robin said as he brought Miguel with him. "Kid Flash will be leading, so if you come across any trouble you report to him immediately. If possible, wait for his instructions."

He knew Red, and he knew he didn't choose the two of them simply because they were of the most experienced and resourceful of their members. He was not a genius when it came to reading between the lines but even he could see he was planning something. However, he being the leader he was smart not to say anything in front of the other two.

"Bunker, you are going downtown; get friendly with the locals. Solstice, fly where you can be seen. I will stick to the streets," he said as they approached the city.

"Are we really patrolling or putting on a show?" Solstice said as they landed on a secluded area of the beach.

"A little of both," he said. Crime had gone down since they started building their tower.

"I thought we weren't supposed to care what people thought," Solstice said crossing her arms.

"Of course, we do but because it's easier to help them if they don't start panicking when they see us," he said knowing she wasn't the only one that was bothered by this and he was sure it wasn't the first time she heard it.

"I thought it was because we were competing with Infinity Inc.," she said with a disdainful smile.

"We are not," he said with a fake smile before they spotted Blue, Tempest, and Lantern making their way from their own patrol.

"It's mostly calm," Blue told him with a smile, "more tourists every day."

"And more protesters too," Kyle said looking in the direction of the pier, "they are not aggressive, but it will better if you don't talk to them, at all."

"Got it," he said already familiar with some of the insults the protesters threw at them.

He knew he didn't have to worry about Miguel. He usually turned insults into jokes which got almost everyone laughing. Kiran was the complete opposite. He knew she had been receiving a lot of bad rep back in India and was starting to get tired. So, it was better to keep her at a distance from the public. No one said you had to be good at socializing to do what they did. Seriously, wasn't Batman proof enough?

He ran through the streets a few times. Like Blue said, everything was very peaceful. A few times he helped people catch the odd dog in the loose, before going to the pier where the tower could be seen. Though unfinished, it was quite the sight as it faced the city. The place was full of tourists taking pictures and buying souvenirs. He saw the protesters from a safe distance. As Kyle said, they were not aggressive. Pretty much they were just handing out propaganda as of why they didn't think the Titans should stay in San Francisco. There were also a lot of food vendors. It was the perfect place to take a one minute lunch.

"Nice pajamas geek," someone said behind him with a nasty laugh, "did your mom make it for you?"

He turned around to see a kid around his age with his friends laughing at him. There was always going to be a Kevin Nash anywhere he went, he realized.

"The colors aren't even right," another one of the teens said.

"What a loser!" Another laughed a little too hard to be a real laugh.

He stared at them wondering why they put so much effort to fit in when they clearly were not having that much fun.

"What are you looking at freak?" the first teen said marching towards him after he didn't respond and kept looking at them.

"Nothing, it's all crash," he said with a shrug before he was gone and back with a hot dog on hand, "so, are you visiting?"

"You- you are-" the kid jumped back and now everyone was looking at him.

"Taller and better looking in person? You bet, but sorry I already got a girlfriend" he said before finishing his hot dog in a fraction of a second, "got to go!"

He didn't wait for a response and ran until he reached the top of a building and stretched. He had never seen the city so full of life before.

"Report Solstice, Bunker," he called through their communicator.

"Everything is good Kid," Bunker responded but Solstice didn't respond.

"Red, I need Solstice's location," he said after trying again.

"Golden Gate Park, by the Rose Garden," Red responded a moment later before he was rushing to the site.

"Freak!"

"Monster!"

He arrived at the site to see a group of women throwing trash and insults at Kiran who stood her ground as she admired the flowers. She walked around as though the women weren't really there. One of the women had enough of being ignored and was walking towards Kiran with her fists clenched.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," he said standing between her and Kiran.

"You freaks don't have the right to-" the woman started.

"You are the one who has no right to treat us like this!" Solstice said pushing him to the side and getting on the woman's face. She became pale right away.

"Solstice, that's-" he tried to pull her back before things escalated, but Solstice just slapped his hand away.

"No, I had enough of people like her! They think they can judge us and call us names without knowing us! Without understanding what we have lost!" and he realized she was talking about her mother. Though the proof had been delivered that it was not Kiran who killed her, there were still people who doubted her.

"Go back to the tower," he told her with his most firm voice.

"But-" she turned to look at him in shock.

"Go back to the tower, Kiran. You are done for the day," he said standing his ground.

"You can't-" she started to say, but when she saw his expression didn't change she sneered at him, "go to hell." And then she flew away leaving him with the group of offending women and a crowd who had been recording the whole thing.

"You freaks should be all locked up!" the woman that had tried to confront Solstice said snapping out of her shock, "You are all menaces!"

"Have a pleasant time ladies," he said with his most utmost charming smile. "Show is over," he said looking at the crowd before most started putting their phones down. None of them had even tried to help Kiran.

He left to check on Bunker who was still downtown. He found him sitting at a café having what seemed to be a pleasant chat with a civilian.

"Hey Kid Flash!" he said waving at him to join him, "how is Kiran?"

"It's complicated, but she is fine," he told him before the young man who was sitting with Bunker took a quick picture of him.

"You really are cute," the young man said giving him a look that made his ears burn.

"Don't mind him," Bunker said snatching the phone from the young man and erasing the picture, "he thinks anyone with a uniform is cute."

"We are in patrol," he said scratching the back of his head. The whole thing about being in charge took some getting used to.

"Sorry Jonny, but he is my boss right now," Bunker said getting up.

"Alright," Jonny said with a smile that said something he had the feeling he didn't want to understand.

"Oh stop that or I won't stop by next time," Bunker said to the young man who just laughed before they left.

The people downtown had already become familiar with Bunker and waved their way as they made it to the roof of a building.

"What happened with Kiran?" Bunker asked again, now more serious. He explained to him and the young man could only sigh in frustration.

"I sent her back to the tower, Red will be sending someone else soon," he said sitting on the ledge of the building and looking at the people walking below.

"You know she likes you, right?" Bunker said after a while.

"She has a strange way of showing it, but besides, I have a girlfriend," it felt strange and embarrassing to say it to one of the others. It hadn't felt like that when he said it to those kids in the pier.

"Oh, does she know?" Bunker said with a concerned frown.

"She does as of today," he said with a sigh. "It's my fault, isn't?"

"No, no she has been a little irritable since the guys behind her mother's death started saying things about her in the news. She is actually pissed they might get to walk out free," Bunker said and he felt like an idiot for not realizing it was more serious than he had thought.

Then he made the right choice sending her back, he thought, she shouldn't have gone on patrol in the first place. He didn't care Red was the leader, that was a stupid move to make even if it was to prove a point to him.

888

Their debriefing room was almost finished, and here it was where he found Red Robin giving it some of the last touches.

"She has better self-control than you give her credit for," Red Robin said as he tested the 3D projector. The image was smudged.

"We don't need that type of rep, and she is going through enough stuff," he said helping him with the image's tuning. It ended up sharper but also upside down.

"All of us go through stuff now and then Bart, right now is not bad enough so that she can't take some time to learn from it," Red Robin said tapping his chin trying to figure out how to fix the problem of the projector.

"Are you freaking kidding me?! You can't test them like that!" he was sure he had something planned along the same lines for the rest and he didn't like it one bit.

"You know this is not just about learning how to control your powers," of course, but self-monitoring was something he was seriously sucking at the time.

"What about talking to them? You think that's too much to ask?" he said before the image of the projector became lopsided.

"Go and talk to her then," Red Robin said as he kept tinkering with the projector.

"What?" he asked.

"She is finishing in the garden by herself. Go and talk to her," Red said before the image became upright but it was back to being smudgy.

"You dirty bat, you had all of this planned out!" he slammed his hands on the control board before the image became sharp.

"I am not that good," Red said with a smile as he closed the circuit box.

"Like hell you are, and no, that isn't a compliment," he said crossing his arms.

"It sure sounded like that to me," Red Robin said before he left.

888

He found Kiran in the garden just as Tim had said. She was planting flowers similar to those found in the Rose Garden. So, that's what she had been doing there. He knew she wasn't entirely at fault, that those women really didn't have right to bother her like that, but Kiran could have handled it in a better way.

"Say what you are going to say and leave me alone," Kiran said with her back to him as she planted more of the flowers.

"I feel like an idiot now," he said with a sigh, "I told Red we should talk to you about this, but I got no idea on how to start."

"Tell me what? That I am dangerous? Surprise, I know I am," she said as she continued to plant the flower but with unnecessary aggressiveness.

"Welcome to the club. We all know we are," he said.

"You really suck at this," she said turning around and glaring at him.

"That's the reason why we choose Red as our leader, but I would like to think my method is better. Kiran, I know you are going through a rough time, but you need to learn to not let your emotions get the better of you," he said sitting on the grass and across from her.

"You have no right to tell me that," she said pointing at him with her little dirt shovel. He was the one who kissed her out of whim and created this awkwardness.

"As your teammate, I do. Right now things are calm but you can't behave like this when things really get bad and there will be times when they get really bad," the time he believed they had lost Wally was an excellent example.

"Like being mind-controlled by an alien parasite?" Kiran deadpanned.

"Worse," he said remembering the time his aunt lost her leg and got captured by the Reach, and the time he watched the Beetle from his time kill Mr. Grayson. Yeah, things could get really bad.

Kiran seemed to get the idea since she became quite for a long time. She clutched the grass as she looked down with a frown. Then, when she spoke she didn't meet his eyes "can I see her picture? Of your girlfriend?"

He hoped he wouldn't regret this. He got his cell phone and showed her the pic of them together.

"Damn, she is cute," Kiran said holding his phone and zooming on Carol.

"I am sorry," he didn't know what else to say.

"Don't be, at least, she makes you happy," she said handing him the phone back. "But I really need you not to be nice to me for a while," she said hugging her knees to her chest.

"I understand," he said getting up before he spotted Bunker walking towards them with a concerned expression. He knew she was in good hands as Miguel gave him a brief nod. He started to leave. Just as he was reaching the edge of their little garden he heard her heart-wrenching sob. It took all of his willpower not to run away. He did that to her, he deserved to feel like this.

888

The trees above them were full of green leafs, almost blocking the light of the sun entirely. He sat against the trunk, Carol leaning on his shoulder as she read a book.

"You okay?" she asked looking up at him.

"Sorry," he realized she had asked him something before and he didn't hear it.

"What's in your mind?" she asked him.

He took a moment to consider how much to tell her and then said, "one of my teammates, she is going through a difficult time and I am completely useless to help her."

"It must be difficult having powers and not being able to do some things," she said before he gave her a quick peck on the lips, "what was that for?"

"You are really cute and smart," he said before hugging her tightly, making her squirm on his arm at the sudden action.

The bell that said their lunch was over rang and he helped her to her feet. With her, his problem became more simple and easier to resolve. He would give Kiran more space and hope they could be friends in the near future. He knew she had closer friends like Miguel, Leonid, and Celine that could help her in the meanwhile.

"Stop smiling, it's embarrassing," Carol said slapping his arm as they walked towards their next class. He hadn't realized he was smiling until then.

"What if I don't want to?" he asked her teasingly only for her to slap his arm again.

888

At least once a week he had dinner with his grandparents. He usually enjoyed it, especially since he got to play with his dad and aunt. The two of them had recently learned to vibrate through their chairs and they had to be in the constant look out to catch them. Usually, he and his grandfather listened to his grandmother talk about what the two younger speedsters had been up to. However, through the whole thing he could feel his grandfather watching him like a hawk. After dinner, they sat watching the twins play in the living room.

"So, you and Carol are getting along okay? Her brother has been messaging me less the past few days," his grandfather asked him out of nowhere.

"We are good," he said calmly and hoping his ears weren't turning red.

"Bart, are you- you know?" Barry asked.

"No," he said sure now that his ears were red.

"You know you can talk to me about stuff, right?" his grandfather said running a hand through his hair. Sure he could talk to him about it, but it seemed he dreaded the moment.

"I know, but we are not there… yet," he said unable to stop himself from smiling

"You look like you saw a ghost, what are you two talking about?" Iris asked joining them with two bowls of ice cream.

"Guy stuff," he said before his grandpa could say anything.

"Since when do you talk about guy stuff?" Iris laughed handing a bowl to her husband. "Oh, you are talking about Carol!" Iris said before looking at him with a curious look "you know you would have more luck asking me, right?"

"Hey!" Barry said.

"Barry, how long did it take you to ask me out?" she asked him and before he got the chance to come up with an answer she added, "oh that's right! I was the one who asked you out because you kept freezing up every time you tried."

"Alright, you made your point," he said digging into his ice cream.

"Luckily, you got the West genes too," Iris said with a triumphant smile.

888

"You should break up with him," Bobby Bucklen told his sister over dinner.

"I am not breaking up with him," Carol said and kept on eating. It wasn't the first time her brother said something like this.

"You shouldn't have tried to find out if it was really him in the first place. You are going blow our cover," he told her slamming his hand on the table making it rattle.

"Like they are going to follow us," she said clutching her utensils.

"They just might Carol, or worse, _he_ might try to," Bobby snapped at her before he got up and picked up his plate.

"It has been five years already Bobby," she said no longer hungry.

"Time doesn't matter, you know that," he told her before leaving the kitchen.

But time did matter, she thought as she moved her food around the plate. Until Bart found the truth, she wanted to spend with him as much time as possible.

888

Wally could only watch. He watched as Artemis gave a kiss to Kaldur before she left to look for her sister to try to knock some sense into her. However short it was, he knew she resented ending their relation. She still missed Wally and couldn't stand putting Kaldur through her torturous feelings anymore. Looking for Jade was just the easy way to stop their relation. He lost count of the night he watched her dig in her closet for the only box she kept with his stuff. She put on one of his old shirts before she went to bed in tears. He wanted to go to her, hold her and tell her that he didn't love her anymore, even if it was a lie. The torture of watching her try to move on and failing was tearing him apart.

He stopped watching and went to tear in the Speed Force and started working on mending it. Maybe one day he would be able to leave. With Bart's help, he didn't feel it was as impossible as before. He wondered if he would be able to fake ignorance and try to go back his previous life. Probably not.

888

Kevin Nash watched as Allen and Bucklen walked together to their next class. The idea had been turning in his mind again and again but he couldn't accept it. Allen was a complete loner not long ago, the type of guy who one day could disappear and no one would question why. As he walked to his own class he kept turning the idea in his mind. He would be royally pissed if he was right. The past few days he had been trying to find more about Allen. He already knew he lived with his grandparents and that his uncle Barry Allen worked as a forensic scientist for the police, but trying to find out more than that always led to dead ends. He couldn't find anything about whom his parents were and or where he lived before moving to Central City.

Sick and tired of thinking about it, he decided to ditch class and went straight to his car. He knew it bothered his mother as much that Allen didn't get expelled. If he asked her, she could pull some strings and find out more about the kid. When he got to the school parking lot he spotted a cute redhead leaning against his car. In another occasion, he would beat the hell out of anyone who dared touch his car, but the girl was giving him a smile that promised a good time.

"Hi Kevin," she said batting her eyelashes at him. He racked his brains trying to remember where he would have met her. A sure thing was that she didn't go to the same school. Someone like her couldn't be forgotten. "I wouldn't be so sure about that," she said with a girlish laugh before she walked towards him.

"What are you talking about?" he asked wondering what she was playing at.

"You will forget me," she said with the same girlish smile, "among other things."

He stepped back before his body froze. He tried to open his mouth to call out for help as the girl's eyes turned red. Then, it was as if his brain was full of ants and he wanted to scream for her to stop.

"Hm, you are not very bright," she said with a slight tilt of her head, "don't worry, that means it will be over soon."

A whimper escaped his throat before he woke up inside his car. He saw other teens walking to their cars. The school day was over, he realized sitting up and then searched for his keys. As he drove out of the parking lot he spotted Bart Allen and Carol Bucklen walking together. He froze for a moment remembering what he done to those two, and after a short debate with himself, he decided they weren't worth his time.

From the distance, M'gann watched as the boy that had been looking into Bart's past drove away without paying another glance at the boy. That morning Red Robin had sent her a message saying they needed her help. After a short explanation, she was more than happy to help. Though, she wondered if she should tell Red that boy assaulted Bart's girlfriend but decided against it. That was the Titan's business. She was tempted to check in the girl's mind. She actually made Bart laugh, and not the strained smile they had seen him use since he arrived at their time, but at the end decided not to. If she made him happy, she didn't have the right to take that from him.


End file.
